I will pretty much do anything possible to avoid the mall. It is a soul-sucking endeavor of over-priced unnecessary items for me personally. In fact, I think I might be one of the people personally responsible for the decline in mall health, as I would totally prefer to do my shopping online. And I guess I am not the only one. According to an article on NPR, malls are no longer the shop-till-you-drop wonderland they used to be.
Over the past decades, “anchor stores” {large retailers like Macy’s, JCPenney, Sears, etc.} have closed their doors. They simply cannot compete with online retailers now that big-banged-mall-rats have grown up and hit the world wide web in pursuit of their purchases.
Now mall owners face a new challenge: redefining the mall experience–“experience” being the key word. Instead of anchor stores, malls are trying to provide anchor experiences. Movie theaters, gyms, and restaurants dominate the building, while smaller specialty stores take up any leftover retail space. Apparently, people really are spending more of their money on experiences than things, well, at least when they leave the comfort of their home.
I like the idea of having a place {especially the outdoor type} where you can have an experience with friends–catch a movie, split an appetizer–though you can count me out for pumping iron. 😉 I am not a huge shopper, but maybe I would browse, but I doubt it though. How about you, would you be more likely to shop if there was a movie theater, selection of restaurants and/or a gym? Does the mall turned gathering place appeal to you?
~Mavis
Susan says
Years ago, the idea of the “third place” was born – a place to gather with friends, outside the home.
Third Place Books, bookstores in the Seattle area with a cafe and performance space, are built on this idea – and are still going strong. Starbucks took the idea to a whole new level. Sounds like malls are now catching on.
Rosaleen says
It is still a mall and I will continue to avoid it. The only likely exception might be if I decide I need to go mall walking before the stores actually open.
Jeanie says
No thanks. I hate malls. I am way to claustrophobic in malls to wander around endlessly. On occasion, I will shop at Anchor stores like Nordstrom but I am not a huge shopper in general so they just hold no appeal to me. I do like to shop online and as long as places like Nordstrom, etc., offer free returns…I am good.
I like to hang out with friends at coffee shops, cute cafes, parks so it would make me crazy to go hang out somewhere that I already hate.
Cheri says
Ah, the good ol’ 80s, when going to a typical mall for hours on end was a normal thing to do. But, despite enjoying those days (after all, I was a teen), I don’t miss it. Such old-style malls bore me. I do enjoy both browsing and “experiences,” though. I used to live in the Twin Cities and enjoyed going to the Mall of America a couple of times a year (which I nicknamed the “icon of American materialism”). There’s an experience for you, despite it’s store-centeredness. They had tons of stores but also an amusement park and many other attractions. I also enjoy the mall that is near my home now in Colorado. It is store-centered, too, but is really nice to wander around because it is such a lovely mall, decorated in a rustic, Colorado style. I can’t afford to buy much at this upscale mall, but it is an experience in itself to people-watch and look at all the pretty things and buy some tea or candy or ice cream. Concept malls like these are definitely draws for me. Even Ikea is an “experience” store for me.
Jeanie says
Good point. I might be more in to going to a mall that was outfitted to look like the one you describe in Colorado. I just hate the throwback malls in my town which were built in the early 80’s and have been remodeled minimally. Depressing.
Teresa Young says
One of our local malls is converting to an outlet mall – according to the news story, traditional malls are struggling but outlet malls are turning a profit.
I can’t think of an experience that would draw me to the mall that I can’t enjoy somewhere less crowded & expensive.
Julia says
I don’t do the “shopping” thing so I don’t go to malls in any traditional sense. I will go to a movie theatre in a mall but I don’t browse stores while there. I’ll go to the mall to get my eyebrows threaded (my one indulgence I have huge eyebrows!! I color and cut my own hair and do my own pedi) but I’m not a window shopper. I have other third places where I hang out and meet up,with people but Malik’s are to,sealed up and sterile for me. I like fresh air!
Laura T. says
Nope, don’t care for them anymore. I used to go once a year at Christmastime to check things out but it’s been several years since I went to our local mall. I prefer smaller mom & pop type shops. I did the mall thing in my younger years when it was the place to hang out in the late 70s early 80s. What’s funny is that the malls around here used to have the movie theaters, restaurants, etc. & they were all taken out. I guess maybe they’ll be bringing them back in now!
jenny says
I do now fully believe you are my long lost twin. malls suck!
Stacey says
I only go to the mall if I need something at one of the stores there. I almost exclusively shop at the anchor stores since I mostly buy basic clothes and need to try them on to make sure it’s the right size. I’m quite short and the right fit is hard to find. I would be more apt to go to an experience mall, but still only if I decided to shell out the money for the experience. I usually find free things to do, so I can’t be counted on.
4TruLady says
Nope. Don’t like them, never will. I moved to a rural community to get away from that kind of stuff, and I love it out here “under my rock”. Online shopping helps me to avoid anything “mall-ish”.
Rachel says
As a mom of two young boys (4 & 1.5), I find that we go to the mall a lot. In the long, cold, snowy NE Ohio winters it’s a nice, warm place to walk around and let the boys burn off some steam in the play area. The same goes for those over 90 summer days when the slides at the park are scorching. We walk around, checkout the play area, look at the two pet shops and have a delicious mall pretzel. Any shopping done is a strategic strike, there is no longer any lingering.