Such a nostalgic topic! I've mentioned malls so many times in this blog, mall needs to be a keyword. Here's Last Call, Last Mall inspired by the title of a song by Steely Dan.
My header pic is the Dead Cottonwood Mall I wrote about in the three part reflection I linked to. I featured it because I really like my photoshopping on the picture.
What's on today's mall docket? Long gone are the days of active, buzzing malls where teens hung out, retirees power walked, and the whole family sometimes shopped and dreamed, sometimes shopped and bought. Southern California has many dead indoor and open air malls. Between online merchandising and purchasing and the fallout from Covid, it's an understatement to say some that still are open have taken a huge hit. Ya know what? As much as I enjoy shopping of all kinds, I no longer much care for those big malls that have a national anchor like JC Penney or Macy's. That also can read that had a major anchor.
We have open air shopping centers around here; I call them Shopping Sprawls. I think they may function more or less as successors to malls.
Is it because of my interests in economics, lifestyle, and culture that I see a dozen articles every day about changing consumer habits, stores closing, brands merging, or is because those interest everyone? People source home furnishings far differently than in those olden days. Fast fashion still is a thing, though the trend is slowing down for a plethora of mostly positive reasons. If too many dollars don't keep chasing too few products, goods, and bads, does that mean people want less stuff and crave more experiences?
Where do we go from here? I enjoy most kinds of shopping. At the supermarket or the dollar store, I like to choose what I need, and I like to see what's new, check out colors and styles and possibilities. But I can't think of a mall I'd be willing to frequent in its present state of decline and sometimes disrepair.
Two days ago on my day off Tuesday I went to The Grove open air mall to see the holiday decorations. Although I wouldn't call it crowded, it didn't lack for people, but there's no way to know how many were actual customers and consumers. However, regular people don't shop at any of those stores or eat at those restaurants. It has a GAP, but I'm a Gap Factory person. It has Barnes & Noble. Sigh.
The farmer's market is an all around exciting shopping option, sometimes even offering local crafts. Does the decline of The North American Mall signal the return of profitable small shops? Let's keep waiting and hoping.
who says we can edit if we give him credit, so I did.
No comments:
Post a Comment
thanks for visiting—peace and hope to all of us!