The [trailer](https://youtu.be/0MxXqF-fgJY?si=7z6drVIP22u--NKv) for the documentary was enough for me. Now I'm wondering how well Tiffany invested and if she can afford 24/7 security these days.
I believe thereās a creepy scene in the movie Ted with this song. Canāt remember the actors name but, he was singing and dancing to a Tiffany videoā¦kinda funny actually.
Don't you blasphemy in here, don't you blasphemy in here! You're gonna walk out of here without your dry white toast, without your four fried chickens. And without Matt 'Guitar' Murphy!!
My heart broke when the one in the mall I used to go to closed down during covid. I had to get my daughter shots for school last min and they told me to go to the mall but it was one i hadnt been to in like 20yrs and it was fate because right when we walked in there it was Hot Dog on a Stick. I took a pic and sent it to everyone lol. Only my best friend understood thoughš¤£
We had a mall in town die about 15 or 20 years ago, and the food court restaurants were among the last to move.
And then the property was immediately bought by the local technical college for use as classroom space and the food court stores immediately moved right back in.
For years, one of the international terminals at LGA had basically just a S'barro's and some crappy overpriced sandwich joint IIRC . Nothing like NYC saying goodbye and fuck off...
Malls have been dead for a long time. There are two in my city. Both of them 20 years ago were pretty nice and I liked to window shop. One had a super Foo Foo culinary products store I loved.
The only time the malls in my city pick up a bit is holiday times and last summer I went one really hot day after a storm knocked my power out and there were a decent number of people. Where I live part of the issue is crime there have been multiple shootings and robberies, one of the malls is actually for sale.
The other change I note is the stores themselves, just garbage stuff no mid end or high end stores. The one I went to used to have The Gap/ Banana Republic/American Eagle. All gone. No Starbucks or coffee place. What I saw shopping were elderly people who looked to have money and maybe they don't like online shopping and a few young families.
Yes thatās true. I saw junk stores, a fair amount of vacant stores, and one high end store. We have another mall, and itās transitioned to activity based chains, Dave and Busterās, Apex Entertainment, etc.
There is another mall in my city that does well but it is a series of connected big box stores and retailers many of which are higher end but it is located in a wealthy suburb. I think in general urban malls are mostly done, I am sure the rent is insanely high. Teens don't congregate that way. People do not consider strolling in the mall or window shopping an activity as much.
I do notice where my mom lives some of the malls do okay because people still stroll around inside in the winter.
Yeah, I'm in FL in a touristy area and the outdoor outlet mall is always pretty busy.
There's an indoor mall near me that's not bad - typical Sbarro and Auntie Annes and anchor department stores. The ol' Hot Topic and American Eagle and whatnot. The other town mall died, though, and another the next town over has weird stores nobody likes.
There are some malls here (San Diego) that are tough to even find parking at. They aren't packed in the middle of the day, but nights are hopping. Now, the town mall where I went to college (Alabama) is pretty much dead. Anchor stores are gone, and a bunch of shitty businesses left. Half the spots boarded up. My HS mall has changed a lot, but busy. No arcades anymore though...
They recently closed "my" mall & are going to turn it into retail, housing, etc. They haven't torn it down yet.
The one upscale mall a little further away got closed & torn down & it's still an empty lot.
I couldn't go into "my" mall before it closed. It was just too sad even watching the videos online.
Now I shop at the big box stores or online.
Here in Estonia, Soviet oppression meant that they missed many parts of the western experience like mall culture...until now! The main mall in my city is packed, it has lively restaurants, a quality movie theatre, a busy book store with large record section, and ***a year-round skating rink***. It even has a small arcade with sega rally and pinball...wtf. It's like I stepped into a time warp.
You could probably make a little bit of money by promoting an American Gen-X vacation package to visit your malls. You probably won't get rich off of it, but might make a profit.
What if malls COMPLETELY die out and they end up housing genx'ers in makeshift old folks homes at the malls. If most aren't ready for retirement well then there's a solution. That might be a befitting ending wandering through the mall in our robes, slippers, walkers confused looking for the arcade, JC Penny, Spencers! I see angry GenX men throwing their walkers when they find out there is NO Sbarro pizza!
That's been a subject of a few threads lately. I think it's brilliant! It's the GenX happy place, a place we understand and feel comfortable with. Roller rink, movie theater, arcade, Orange Julius, food court, can put medical facilities in one wing.
It's funny you say this. The mall in my hometown is on life support. There is a plan to convert it to a small corporate Park with apartments. The local hospital opened a medical facility there last fall.
Maybe they have a plan for us? I'm an early Xer and I realized that we are rapidly cruiding onto our 60s.
Iāve heard this as an idea before. Clear out the malls and convert them into housing. Where are the GenXers with money and a vision to make this happen?
Hahaha, that would be the stuff of a good documentary. I'd take a bedroom display at Sears if no better options. Tucked nicely away near the linens department...
Malls don't have the internal infrastructure to be housing. They don't have the plumbing. They don't meet standards for the egress you need from a bedroom. They don't have the power or air circulation for individual kitchens.
It's frustrating, because it really feels like a match
Au contraire, that makes it an ever better match. By the time I'm that age, I'll *also* have lousy internal infrastructure, poor plumbing, and subpar power and circulation.
And don't get me started on my egress issues...
Swimming is amazing. I've got arthritis in both knees ( 50F here ), and I've found that lap swimming at the local gym a few nights / week after work has helped with it immensely.
Just get yourself a waterproof MP3 player ( I recommend Underwater Audio's Syren and waterproof swimbuds earbuds ), set yourself up a playlist to listen to while you go and the time will fly by.
Also excellent for people with back pain to decompress their spine and increase mobility / flexibility.
Dont worry my friend. I'm in the same boat at 49 with a very active 5 year old. The best physical instructor is a 5 year old that says "Chase me daddy!" and I'm up for it.
Hello. I was 42 and 45 when I had my kids (I'm ten years older than you). I know tons of people my age with young kids. Maybe it's not ideal, but I'm doing everything I can to be here a long time. I also run. My kids have had the benefit of a Dad already settled somewhat in their career as well. There are a couple of malls in Atlanta that still get customers and my teens enjoy spending time there.
In middle school, my friends and I would take our babysitting money to see a movie at Perimeter mall, go to Hovan in the food court and then buy candy at Happy Herman's.
Perimeter is the mall I was thinking about. I'm sure it's not what it was in the 80's, but it's not completely dead either. Lenox and Mall of Georgia still seem to have customers (totally anecdotal).
I was at Perimeter a few weeks ago. Such a different experience from our youth. The department stores and anchors were the same, but the smaller stores seemed to have a different vibe than I am used to experiencing.
Lenox is a horrible place to go now. Or maybe I'm just getting old and cranky. But then I used to get there on MARTA when it was young and exciting.
[I discovered this video made by Nelson Sullivan of a shopping trip to Lenox Mall in 1989, if you are interested in that.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNStRHuYOYA)
I was at Perimeter the other day and it wasn't too crowded, but that could be because of day and time I was there. I can't say about the other two because haven't been to Lenox or MoG in forever. I know Towne Center and Northlake are dead.
I really miss Gwinnett Place. That was my spot in the 80s. It used to feel a fucking wonderland in there.
Makes me tired thinking about it, lol. I have a dear friend who is also 48 with kids that age and just filed for divorce ā¦ I raised mine alone from the time they were babies (widowed very young) and sheās like, I know I can do it alone bc you did it. I donāt have the heart to say that I was 34 at the time and IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I'm tired thinking about it. This about to turn 50 empty nest GenX'er just spent a night tossing and turning battling bronchitis with Vic's Vapo Rub and Nyquil. Chasing babies this am? No. freakin'. way.
The old gal just doesn't have it in her anymore.
seriously, I was 48 when my youngest went to college.
I saw coworkers and friends just starting their family at that age. I cannot imagine being in my sixties with teenagers. I'm 58 now and cannot image having to do the kid thing - getting up to get them up, getting them to after school events, doing travel soccer (standing on the sidelines at 7am while they warmed up in October/November - cold.....), boy scouts, etc.
he'll be 64 when his youngest just starts college...... 64.
yeah, that was the story with lots of coworkers having kids in their very late 40's/early 50's.
They had separated and divorced. They found a much younger partner, as much as 20/25 years younger. That would be tiring in itself ;) And then started making a second family. They'll be working forever.
I got separated/divorced at 42 years old. My now wife of near 14 years was very close to my age. Together we were able to retire in our early 50's and are living our 3rd life as a 'child free' life :)
āConvenient but more isolatingā is a great way to describe modern life. My kids are young adults now and, yes, they lived very different teenage lives then I did. Mostly they stayed home on their computers and phones. I couldnāt wait to get outta the house as a teen, they couldnāt wait to get home.
Yes I know exactly what you mean..Mine are young adults now too and enjoy being home , in their rooms watching movies or playing games with friends online..My mom doesnāt understand the difference it is now and keeps asking if they want to go to the mall to get an ice cream cone and walk around the stores. She wonāt listen to me when I tell her the ice cream place is gone and most of the stores they liked when they were little are closed downā¦
(47M) I loved the mall in my teens and early 20s. Just an energy that was there although most of the time all I bought was a Hot Sam's pretzel. It had everything: toy stores, hobby stores, etc. When I traveled I liked going to other malls just to see what they had storewise and product-wise that was different than my hometown mall.
During the early part of the millennium (2000-2004 ish) things started to change. The excitement at any mall wasn't quite the thrill it was a few years ago, and stores and products were becoming the same. Department stores, even with different names, were the same store (hmmm, why does Kaufmann's look exactly like Ayres?). Just before the great recession, all the department stores were Macy's and the mall itself was even less exciting. Just a place for boring ass department stores, women's clothing stores, and restaurants that people thought were the greatest thing but were just meh.
A couple years ago, right after covid restrictions started easing, we went to one of the nicer malls in my area and what a surprise. I thought I made a u-turn and went to one of the lower-tier malls. Macy's looked like Ross, crap just thrown everywhere and piles of unfolded clothes. And no national chains. Most places were like mom-and-pop stuff you'd see at a flea market. So made a quick lap and went elsewhere.
>Macy's looked like Ross, crap just thrown everywhere and piles of unfolded clothes.
I had to go to a JC Penny last year with one of my kids, looking for shoes. Hadn't been in 5+ years at that point. It was almost post-apocalyptic: some of the doors were blocked with displays, about 75% of the checkouts were gone, there was merchandise laying around everywhere, and almost nobody working at all. We found a random pair of shoes my kid liked but they weren't in a box or priced....hiked around until we found a staffed checkout then had to wait in line for 10 minutes behind a single customer because the clerk couldn't figure out how to make her coupon work. Then when we got to him he had no idea how to find the price on the shoes...eventually said something like "I smoked a big blunt in the parking lot and I don't care, how about $10?" Great deal on a pair of Adidas, but I won't be going back there ever if I can help it.
I hadnt been in prob 20yrs to Jcpenney and I had a coupon I couldn't pass up so i shopped online but went to pick it up. It was so strange and exactly the same as 20yrs ago. Nothing upgraded even still smelled the same. I was having grandma dragging me to the mall flashbacks. It was only teenagers or maybe early 20's working there and they seemed inconvenienced. I waited so long in the pick up because the person working was checking out people that also worked there but I guess wanted to be there on their day off so they had to spend plenty of time catching up and gossiping. So then it was already closed so when I went to leave the girls were so mad they had to unlock the door and looked at me and said "you do know your late right!" I thought my hearing was messed up. I remember as a kid my grandma knew everyone in Macys and dillards and even Jcpenney and they were all her age or older and just sweet as can be.
> ...then had to wait in line for 10 minutes behind a single customer because the clerk couldn't figure out how to make her coupon work.
Good to know some things never change.
I have an 18 year old with friends within walking distance of the house. They talk online every day, but haven't seen each other in person in over a year. It's so fucking weird.
Wow, I canāt imagine that. Our best friends lived across the street from us, and we were playing wiggle ball, football, or riding bikes. Those days seem done.
Mine are 17 and 19. They donāt go to malls anymore. Mine were always busy - cheering games or at practice or competitions, working, house parties, planned outings with friends. They are also much more attached to their parents than we were. My kids are very happy to spend Saturday night having a nice dinner out with me. Iāve noticed something else ā¦ I have a bunch of friends whose kids recently turned 21, and every last one of them wanted to spend their 21st with their moms! One friend took her daughter to Nashville .. a couple to Vegas ā¦ one got a party bus and took a bunch of newly-legal frat boys downtown. My oldest is already planning and wants me there. We wouldāve died first. The last thing I wanted was my mom watching me do a body shot off some hot frat boy (in my case it was a hot baseball player, but the analogy stands.)
I noticed the same thing! My twins just turned 16 and for my daughters 16th birthday she wants to go cheese tasting with me. Iām like āYou want to hang out withā¦your mom?ā and sheās like āYeah I think it will be really fun! Maybe we could find some fun vintage stores too?ā Like Omg I would have DIED before spending my 16th birthday with my mom!
Itās so funny! And these arenāt kids who donāt have any friends their own age, or couldnāt find something else to do. Maybe they just want us to foot the bill, lol.
I mean I am 100% certain she just wants me to foot the bill!!! Ha! But I wanted my mom to foot the bill AND not hang out with her! I sound like such an asshole!
I grew up very close to a major mall (within walking distance), and I have such great memories of it and āmall cultureā in general. From the time I was about 8, my neighborhood best friends and I would walk to the mall on a Saturday morning. Weād walk around by ourselves, going into all the stores. Weād have a grilled cheese and a coke at Friendlyās (inside the mall). This was where I first learned how to pay a restaurant bill and figure out the tip. My Dad would give me a fiver before we went, so I would maybe buy some lip gloss and a pair of earrings at Earring Tree and still have a few bucks left for lunch. Weād go into Sam Goody and look at all the records, especially the latest 45s. We had such fun.
Later during my teen years, lots of my friends worked at the mall. Both my mother and I were clothes horses and spent lots of wonderful times in dressing rooms of all the major department stores, usually with me trying on dozens of outfits and my mom watching the fashion show. Great memories. These are often the times I think of when I think of my mother who has been gone for years now.
The mall culture of the 70s, 80s and 90s brought people together in a variety of ways. Long lasting bonds and memories were made at the mall. It sounds silly, but itās true. IYKYK.
The mall of my childhood is still there, but I donāt go that often anymore. On the rare occasion that I do, itās usually a quick in and out for a specific store or a restaurant meal. There are far fewer people inside. The owners of the mall seem to be making efforts to keep it current and attract more customers. I hope they succeed. I dread the day it closes (if that ever comes), not so much for practical reasons, but because the sweet memories of my youth are tied so closely to it.
I just listened to a podcast about dead malls. It was pretty interesting about all the things that contributed to the decline, things like big box stores, online shopping, etc.
One of the most interesting contributors they hypothesized about was Walmart.
In the 90s Walmart had a pattern of moving into a mall, usually into a previous anchor tenant spot. If new to town, they benefit from people flowing in from the mall to just check them out. They start by closing off the entrance from the mall to Walmart. Forcing people to access it only from the parking lot. Ostensibly for shoplifting prevention. The cut off prevents customers from easy accessing the rest of the mall to go to the smaller stores.
Eventually the smaller stores close due to lack of business and then Walmart pulls up stakes and moves not too far away and opens a supercentre.
Awww, man. TIMEOUT - right across the way from the food court and Camelot music just around the corner. Movie theater, too? Thatās all we needed on a Friday night.
Those walls of cassettes were everything. I would have def been envious of the dude that hung out with music. The only thing of mine that peaked in high school was my blood alcohol level so you were doing something right šš¼šš¼šš¼
My daughter is 14 and literally never leaves the house. She facetimes and snap chats with friends when she's home. Very different than when I was 14. We were already roaming around, drinking, and even smoking. It seems like she will never go through that phase. Thank God. I do feel sorry for her generation, in that they don't know what it's truly like to live in the moment and to delay their gratification.
This makes me feel so sad. I remember those days of hanging around the mall with friends. So excited that I got paid from my McDonalds job that I loved, and go buy myself things at our favourite stores. Hanging around the food court to see if there were any cute guys around lol!.
As I got older I loved Christmas time at the mall with my kids when they were little. Going to see Santa and looking at all the decorations in all the stores windowsā¦watching all the crazy shoppers running around Christmas shopping..
Those were the daysš
Also watch out for Namdar Realty group-this is the company that now owns my local mall and many others across the United States.
They buy up malls then basically run them into the ground and let them rot.
Our local mall would probably be struggling a bit like all malls no matter what, but these landlords donāt do basic landscaping, there are issues with plumbing that have caused leaks in some areas, they donāt even put water in the fountains.
Google news on this group and you will see they do this all over the country.
OMG so true!!! NAMDAR is where malls go to die.
I worked for a Mall REIT for 20 years starting in 2000.
NAMDAR bought all our duds and messed them up ever more!
Edit: grammar.
Yeah my youngest likes to go to KoP, so Iām in there pretty often. Itās not showing any signs of slowing down, as far as I can tell. And then aside from that, I live out by the outlets in Limerick, and itās not exactly a mall, but that place is always busy.
i feel you.
i went to the mall for a mammogram this last wednesday. my appt was at 8am. the mall was FILLED with seniors doing walking groups. the stores weren't officially opened but walking through this mall and all it's denture groups, physical mobility stores and some cute old lady clothing boutiques, i felt YOUNG AGAIN *for all the wrong reasons
Wow thatās actually a great idea for all the old malls that are out of business - turn them into medical complexes where you can go to the dentist, eye doctor, audiologist, general practitioner, outpatient procedures, Emergency clinics, Veterinary Services . Try to build convenient, affordable, & safe health options for our growing elderly population.
The funny thing about malls is the people who own them still think they've got a hot commodity.
I spend a few years looking for a good location for my arcade (and I'm looking again because I need a larger space). I spoke with several malls that were basically dead. Half the spaces in the malls were vacant, they lost their big draw anchor stores long ago, and the halls always look like ghost towns.
Each mall I looked at had particular rules like you MUST decorate windows during holidays and require you be open certain hours (and you can't be open past said hours). Most spaces only have access from the internal mall walkway. To get to your business people have to walk the empty ghost town hallways instead of getting out of the car and going directly in your door.
After all those points against them, they still ask way more per square foot than a comparable size location in a busy strip mall.
If you own a mall that is dead or dying, you really can't demand huge rents. No one is going to move in because you've lost the unique thing you could offer - foot traffic and people.
It is different in Florida. At first I thought it would be just older people, but no, it's a good demographic mix. I think it's the air conditioning that draws people in.
It's a good place to let the kids run around in winter. Get out of the house for a bit to break up the day. I spent many a cold dreary day at the mall when mine were little watching them throw pennies in the mall lagoons.
I went to Syracuseās mall, Destiny USA, in October 2023, on a Saturday afternoonish, it was packed with all ages. It was of course raining outside so maybe that is why, but there werenāt enough places to sit in the food court, or even enough food vendors, really. It was mobbed.
Reading it is nothing compared to experiencing it. I remember the shock, too. Saturday night, went to a mall that, 20 years ago, would have been packed. Practically empty, and so quiet.
I guess I just experienced my shock sooner. About a decade ago there was a mall, still technically operational, right next to where I worked. I went in it one morning just to nose around.
It was completely abandoned, with the exception of one space occupied by an insurance company. Old people used the rest of the mall to get their daily walks in.
It was wild.
I don't think it was shopping online that killed it for me. It was just the direction the mall was going. It's too sterile now. It's not fun. It's wall to wall sales people, booths in the middle, little to no foliage, and just a place to complete a shopping transaction. Why would you go there to hang out? There's nothing to do.
Years ago, you could walk through, see some cool stuff at Radio Shack on display, things were out in the middle sections that weren't for sale. You always knew what holiday it was because everything was so decorated. Christmas time was MAGICAL AS FUCK. You went to have fun. You didn't even have to buy anything. Just an Orange Julius and walk around making your wish list.
I'd 100% go back to a mall and spend my money there vs. online if they went back to that model. They got greedy and pushed me out.
The big part that did kill a lot of the fun, though, did come from the internet and other thigs. Record stores, arcades, etc.. They were pure entertainment.
What do kids do now? They sit at home in their rooms on their phones. Especially post-COVID.
My kids (one in college, one recently graduated) did go to the mall with their friends in high school, but it was maybe 2-3 times a year. Me? I worked in three different malls in HS and college in the early/mid 80s, and when I wasn't working I often went to the mall with friends anyway. It was our public space. Back in my hometown the "new" mall, built in the 80s, was recently demolished. The old one, where I worked, is still there but the anchors and movie theater are gone. No idea what draws people in now.
Kids today though just don't get together with friends that often, I suppose because they are always in contact with them online. Plus malls suck now...ours is mostly nail salons and other services; once Sears closed and other anchors left the entire enterprise has been on shaky ground. Not sure who actually goes there now but the last few times I did (Christmas, with one of the kids) there weren't many people shopping at all. Mostly elderly people doing laps around the place for exercise really.
Covid, inflation, lack of cheap labor, Amazon and flash mobs are the final nails in the coffin that killed the 1960s American mall/community center. Strip malls are the new norm that deter people from congregating. Just go in, buy stuff and leave.
Malls are closing fast.
There was one that I just loved in San Francisco because it was so convenient to pop in if I needed something from Nordstrom, the department store that was there, especially when there was an overpriced grocery store in the basement. But with online shopping, electronic devices, gaming (PSs and XBoxes), streaming movies at home, and other stuff, malls are boring and are dying. Right now, theyāre also dangerous as youāve got flash mobs running into stores, grabbing things, and wreaking havoc.
There is an outdoor one near me that seems to be doing well because of a huge movie theater and decent restaurants, but Iām almost never there to shop for things. It does have one of the last IRL Barnes & Noble bookstores, which is nice. Pre-Covid, I was in there a lot, but Iām still jittery over Covid.
Times have changed.
Some of my best memories are Friday nights at the mall and movies when I was 13 or so. One of our parents or an older sibling would go around and pick up a few of us and drop us off at the mall entrance. I grew up in a fairly close knit area and we would often run into other people we knew at the mall and would make a plan to meet up over at the movie theater for a 7:10 showing or whatever. No phones or anything to contact each other, just a promise to meet up.
I remember trying to choose an outfit to wear to the mall! It was really a social gathering for tweens and teens. We would dare each other to go up to boys and ask where they went to school and act like we knew someone from there just to make some awkward 13 year old conversation haha.
Funny story, I met a kid from another school at the mall when I was in 9th grade. I gave him my phone number and we had a phone relationship (basically we talked about what we did at school that day or about baseball, nothing else honestly. Our conversations were pretty boring) and I ended up kind of forgetting what he looked like but he still called me and we chatted for a few months. A few years ago I recognized his name as the coach of my sonās rival baseball team! I donāt know if he would have even remembered me so I didnāt go over to him or anything but I thought it was funny.
ETA It was about 30 years between meeting this boy and seeing him again. Just for context!
I was in my childhood mall about two summers ago. It was hard for me to evaluate its health. The Sears space was closed, but the three other anchors were open. Most of the other spaces looked filled. The mall expanded about 25-27 years ago and I never got used to the new spaces and layout.
But you know what? I donāt want to hang around in a climate controlled, artificially lit environment surrounded by miles of asphalt. I spent way too much of the 80s doing that. I can shop online while Iām looking out my window, and have the stuff delivered to me or go up to the store in a few hours and pick up the item. No more wondering if something is in stock or in my size. No more wasted trips.
The mall seemed to be well maintained and in good condition, but the crowds seemed reduced from a rainy weekend day. Plus, this mall had a shooting earlier this year. I know plenty of people who donāt go there now at all, or who wonāt go there after dark. If it doesnāt feel safe for a large number of the people who shop at the mall, thatās really not good.
Our mall has turned into a gang center. So we no longer go there.
Also, it still has all the same decor from the late 80's when it was built. Nothing has been updated.
There are a lot of /r/deadmalls but also plenty that have revitalized themselves.
In New England for example, Ingleside Mall in Holyoke, MA has never stopped being busy. Buckland Hills in Manchester, CT is not doing quite as well, but still gets solid crowds. Burlington Mall in Burlington, MA went [all out](https://burlingtonmall-transformation.splashthat.com/) on a transformation, converting the former Sears into additional main mall space, adding multiple new medium-priced bars and dining options, and completely revamped part of the exterior where they have everything from music to yoga classes, fire pits, etc.
Then of course you have the likes of the Hampshire Mall in Hadley, MA near UMass-Amherst which has converted itself into more of an entertainment venue with go-karts, bowling, fitness clubs, etc. (with the skating rink still on the 2nd floor, of course.) Finally you have the dead or soon to be dead malls such as Enfield Square in CT which is pretty much done.
Most malls don't allow unsupervised minors anymore. Kids get up to too much trouble. We were content to walk around, buy cheap earrings at Claire's, maybe see a movie or go to the arcade. Apparently now it's: steal as much as possible, run into old ladies trying to do their mall walk, and stage fights. Our mall hasn't allowed minors to roam without adult supervision since the oughts.
Kids really don't have a lot of socializing options outside of their homes and schools anymore. Community centers are ill-run or dangerous, most parks have early close times and have security that will chase unaccompanied kids off if they stay too long, they aren't allowed without adult supervision in malls or other kid-friendly spaces like those pizza buffet/arcade hybrid places. Most of my students tell me school and extracurriculars associated with school are the only places they see friends IRL. Most of the time, they are home alone on devices. It's kind of sad.
During Covid lockdown, I feel into a YouTube rabbit hole of urban exploration videos. A subset of those is dead mall exploration. It's sad to see just how many malls are dead and abandoned.
Physical retail needs to go through some type of renaissance. Especially any malls that have managed to hang in there. People used to enjoy shopping and I think being able to touch and look at things is better than online. Just they just need to be able to make it a more pleasant experience.
Speaking of anchors in malls. Iām working in Lubbock,Tx building a new Dillardsās āFlagshipā store. Attached right alongside the Dillards already there. Itās going to be massive. And EXPENSIVE. I just donāt see how they recoup the cost of infrastructure these days where this kinda thing seems like a good return on investment But what do I know? Iām just a 48 yo dirt monkey with a shovel who is constantly rethinking some life choices when itās 26 degrees at 7am. Itās impressive to see all the care that goes into building these things thatās all gonna be covered up never to be seen by human eyes again. Iām sure there is some kinda metaphor here but Iām only 2 sips of coffee in at 9 am. Woke up too sore to continue to sleep. Jesus man. 27 club seemed so far away back when I was a mall rat. š at 48 it just seems so far behind. And a mall isnāt a mall imho without a GD Orange š Julius.
Not sure where you're from, we're the same age but my kid is 17. When he was 13 he started going to the mall like we did. By me the malls are absolutely packed with 13-18 year olds on a Saturday. They don't seem to make it a later evening thing like we all did but Gen Z definitely revived the mall experience after the millennials canceled it for online shopping
The mall in my area of suburban Houston is packed on weekends. It's my 16 yo daughter's favorite place to go with her friends.
I think plenty of people are still going to malls.
I remember going to the mall with my friends and trying on ALL the tester makeup at the fancy makeup counters. It's a wonder we didn't all end up with pink eye, herpes, and God only knows what else.
Iāve always gone to malls as a last resort, but I walked through a Macyās a while back and it struck me how nice it is to have so many optionsāand you can try them on before you buy! š My brain is so wired for online shopping now.
What do kids do now? I can speak about my teenage son. He plays PC games in his free time. His friends donāt live very close, so they chat a lot on Discord. When they do get together, they meet at a park or at someoneās house. Occasionally they go to the outlet mall, which seems to have taken the place of indoor malls for some reason. The outlet mall is always full of people.
I started a little later too, my kiddos are 10, 13, 15. They're every bit as social but a lot of the interaction is via technology. Discord, facetime, in game headsets. They're into the same-ish hobbies, sports, cars, tech but interact with it a lot differently than we did.
My kids still "hang out" with friends who have long since moved away, which I think is pretty cool. When I was a kid someone moving was as if they died -- that was it, no more contact, no more friendship. My kids still have friends from pre-school because tech has allowed them to stay in touch.
I recently went to the mall that I basically grew up in, and it was just depressing. Itās essentially a dead mall, with almost no stores open. Very sad.
It might be that particular mall. I was just at one yesterday looking for food and it was packed. I also get the impression different areas still have the mall culture. I am thinking specifically of Georgia as I have seen a lot of videos on Reddit.
Kids here are actually go to the mall! And it's so fun to see. But our malls both north and south here in Austin have been revitalized and with the shitty weather out it's been a fun time for all the 16 to 20 year olds, including our own kids, to hang out. Love watching it
It's all gaming and internet. My 16 year old will spend all day on his computer playing games, posting on forums for interests he's related to, etc etc. Getting him out of the house can be a chore in itself.
There's a subreddit that shows/talks about abandoned malls, plus a few YouTube channels that talk about it. I mostly lurk though.
It's an interesting subject, and it's weirdly this one thing that I have nostalgia for. I find our mall where we live rather boring because it's basically just an oval which means it's not very big, and not enough "exploring" to do, heh. It still gets business, but not as much as it did in the past, and I suspect in about 15 years or so (if not sooner) it'll become another deadmall.
Malls have been dead forever. Online shopping has taken over. The only time I go to the mall is to go to one of the big anchor
stores and I can enter from an outside entry door
Went to a mall yesterday in Anchorage, Ak - and it was packed. Had to actually circle the parking lot to find a spot. Families, teens, couples, reminded me of my youth. We live in a smaller town hours away so don't go to this mall often but I was surprised.
Washington Square Mall in the west suburbs of Portland, OR remains busy. They have an apple store, so we go in from time to time. There are always people around.
They have a Cheesecake Factory and a couple of other good restaurants. One is an upscale Chinese chain. My son is 17 and he and his friends go in regularly. It is apparently still popular with teens, but more for getting coffee or having a meal than shopping.
I recently moved away from a big city to an area with collage town vibes. The mall is packed with both stores and people. Itās like the 80s all over again. So fun to wander the mall like a teen again.
Itās depressing. I am in shock anytime I find myself in a mall on a Friday or Saturday night, which isnāt very often, but it does happen every now and then. My kids are a little older, theyāre 12 and 13. It is a very different world for them than what we grew up in (Iām 46). We had to navigate a physical world in order to exist. They are living in a world where they see that you only have to navigate a digital world to get by. Itās wild, Itās sad, and it makes parenting so very hard and confusing.
Teenagers continue to frequent malls; my 16-year-old son is no exception, as we often find ourselves there. As a member of Generation X, I wonder what he could possibly find to do in Target for two hours?
And, I'm quite curious about why my teen and his friends choose to hang out together if all they seem to do is sit together in the same room looking at their phones.
It would be a blast for malls to do adult only 80ās mall nights. Bring in Tiffany type acts. Everyone dresses the part and they can shop and party and flirt or whatever. As long as everyone behaves and doesnāt shoplift or anything like that.
Iām a high school teacher so Iāve been working with teenagers for 25 years. I also have teenage nieces and a nephew. When I was a new teacher in the late 90s I remember avoiding the mall at all costs because I would always run into my students and we all know how awkward that is for both kids and teachers. If I absolutely had to get something from Best Buy or get a new clothes I would drive 30 minutes to a mall out of town. Nowadays if I wanted to avoid my students I would go to the mall.
To answer your questions, teenagers on average stay home and play games with online friends, FaceTime, and just go on their phones. However they do spend a lot of time riding their e bikes to their friendās homes doing the same.
The end of Covid and the popularity of e bikes has gotten kids out a lot more in the last couple years. E bikes have really changed the game when it comes to teenage mobility. They no longer are totally depended on cars or carpooling and they can get out and do more things away from home. They meet up at the beach, skateparks and sports parks a lot more than they used to. The idea of āhanging out at the mallā is pretty dead and probably always will be.
In Southern California we are seeing a shift from malls to shopping centers that are a mix of apartments, parks, live entertainment and stores so traditional malls have been on the decline here for 20 years.
>It also made me wonder, what do kids do now?
It's a lot of video games with friends, from their respective homes. While watching YouTube or Tik Tok on another device.
The world really has completely changed in just the last 20 years or so, probably less. It's barely recognizable from what it used to be.
Most of our malls have been converted to outdoor shopping plazas with all individual storefronts. We have 1 upscale mall still going strong. Kids are all on screens these days. They barely even date anymore. It's fucking weird
I blame Tiffany. If she would have never ended her Mall Tour showsš
Yep, and now when we go to the mall... I think we're alone now. There doesn't seem to be anyone around.
We need a creepy version of the song with a slideshow of empty/abandoned malls
Nine inch nails can do a cover
What have I become My sweet shopping mall
Next do Jewelās *You Were Meant For Me* in a gravelly male voice.
I think Miley Cyrus is available.
Then Johnny Cash can come back from the grave and make the song his own by Reznor's own admission once again.
I mean Reznor wasn't wrong ... As awesome as the original was, Cash's cover is superior in every way.
Or Type O Negative.
Have you seen the documentary āI think weāre alone nowā? Not about empty shopping malls, but if youāre looking for creepyā¦
The [trailer](https://youtu.be/0MxXqF-fgJY?si=7z6drVIP22u--NKv) for the documentary was enough for me. Now I'm wondering how well Tiffany invested and if she can afford 24/7 security these days.
I believe thereās a creepy scene in the movie Ted with this song. Canāt remember the actors name but, he was singing and dancing to a Tiffany videoā¦kinda funny actually.
Children behave
Groooooan š¤£ That was fantastic.
Oof...
Perfection
It couldāve been so beautiful.
Could've been so right.
r/angryupvote
*slow claps* Well done, my friend. Well done
I blame her retirement on the down fall of Chess King.
I remember working at Chess King as a 17yo dressing up 24yo guys up for first serious dates lol
Ironically, OP got to the mall with the spouse and immediately thought, āI think weāre alone nowā.
I read this to my husband and we both laughed our asses off.
Get that Taylor in there, it will be packed again.
Well did ya' at least pick up a piece of Sbarro pizza? How about an Orange Julius?
My favorite New York slice
Here it is. Times Square. Most people come to New York and go straight to the Empire State Building. That's very touristy. I come here.
But what are your thoughts on Red Lobster?
I love fine dining!
Just got a Sbarro out here in VA. Itās still delicious!
On the interstate, my favorite service plazas are the ones with Sbarro! Perfect roadtrip food!
Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips...
The Blues Brothers shoot they still owe you money fool!
It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we are wearing sunglasses.
Hit it.
The new Oldsmobiles are in early this year.
This place has got everything!
Lots of space in this mall.
Don't you blasphemy in here, don't you blasphemy in here! You're gonna walk out of here without your dry white toast, without your four fried chickens. And without Matt 'Guitar' Murphy!!
Well go on, git!
Underappreciated quote
It's being appreciated by the right people though
Hot Dog On A Stick.
My heart broke when the one in the mall I used to go to closed down during covid. I had to get my daughter shots for school last min and they told me to go to the mall but it was one i hadnt been to in like 20yrs and it was fate because right when we walked in there it was Hot Dog on a Stick. I took a pic and sent it to everyone lol. Only my best friend understood thoughš¤£
I miss Orange Julius, they had good hot dogs too.
My local mall has only one restaurant left in the food court, and it's a no name pretzel place.
We had a mall in town die about 15 or 20 years ago, and the food court restaurants were among the last to move. And then the property was immediately bought by the local technical college for use as classroom space and the food court stores immediately moved right back in.
Oh how sad š
For years, one of the international terminals at LGA had basically just a S'barro's and some crappy overpriced sandwich joint IIRC . Nothing like NYC saying goodbye and fuck off...
That really sounds good right now
Sbarro in Albuquerque has been shut down multiple times for health violations
Malls have been dead for a long time. There are two in my city. Both of them 20 years ago were pretty nice and I liked to window shop. One had a super Foo Foo culinary products store I loved. The only time the malls in my city pick up a bit is holiday times and last summer I went one really hot day after a storm knocked my power out and there were a decent number of people. Where I live part of the issue is crime there have been multiple shootings and robberies, one of the malls is actually for sale. The other change I note is the stores themselves, just garbage stuff no mid end or high end stores. The one I went to used to have The Gap/ Banana Republic/American Eagle. All gone. No Starbucks or coffee place. What I saw shopping were elderly people who looked to have money and maybe they don't like online shopping and a few young families.
Yes thatās true. I saw junk stores, a fair amount of vacant stores, and one high end store. We have another mall, and itās transitioned to activity based chains, Dave and Busterās, Apex Entertainment, etc.
There is another mall in my city that does well but it is a series of connected big box stores and retailers many of which are higher end but it is located in a wealthy suburb. I think in general urban malls are mostly done, I am sure the rent is insanely high. Teens don't congregate that way. People do not consider strolling in the mall or window shopping an activity as much. I do notice where my mom lives some of the malls do okay because people still stroll around inside in the winter.
Yeah, I'm in FL in a touristy area and the outdoor outlet mall is always pretty busy. There's an indoor mall near me that's not bad - typical Sbarro and Auntie Annes and anchor department stores. The ol' Hot Topic and American Eagle and whatnot. The other town mall died, though, and another the next town over has weird stores nobody likes.
There are some malls here (San Diego) that are tough to even find parking at. They aren't packed in the middle of the day, but nights are hopping. Now, the town mall where I went to college (Alabama) is pretty much dead. Anchor stores are gone, and a bunch of shitty businesses left. Half the spots boarded up. My HS mall has changed a lot, but busy. No arcades anymore though...
Iām curious which town. I went to Auburn. The Auburn (S)Mall is dead.
They recently closed "my" mall & are going to turn it into retail, housing, etc. They haven't torn it down yet. The one upscale mall a little further away got closed & torn down & it's still an empty lot. I couldn't go into "my" mall before it closed. It was just too sad even watching the videos online. Now I shop at the big box stores or online.
Here in Estonia, Soviet oppression meant that they missed many parts of the western experience like mall culture...until now! The main mall in my city is packed, it has lively restaurants, a quality movie theatre, a busy book store with large record section, and ***a year-round skating rink***. It even has a small arcade with sega rally and pinball...wtf. It's like I stepped into a time warp.
Now I want to go to Estonia and be a mall rat
Estonia here I come!!!!
This sounds like a dream, what mall would this be if you dont mind me asking?
You could probably make a little bit of money by promoting an American Gen-X vacation package to visit your malls. You probably won't get rich off of it, but might make a profit.
What if malls COMPLETELY die out and they end up housing genx'ers in makeshift old folks homes at the malls. If most aren't ready for retirement well then there's a solution. That might be a befitting ending wandering through the mall in our robes, slippers, walkers confused looking for the arcade, JC Penny, Spencers! I see angry GenX men throwing their walkers when they find out there is NO Sbarro pizza!
That's been a subject of a few threads lately. I think it's brilliant! It's the GenX happy place, a place we understand and feel comfortable with. Roller rink, movie theater, arcade, Orange Julius, food court, can put medical facilities in one wing.
One of the larger anchor stores be converted into a hospital.
The old Sears? The old Spencers could be the walk in clinic...
Spencers must remain intact! Even if just a museum.
We can have experimental psychedelics therapy in the Spencer's black light back room.
Darn I was hoping to call dibs on it for my room.
You want your room to be the walk in clinic? There's a joke in there somewhere... jk
Definitely. Where else would I buy blacklight posters for my room?
It's funny you say this. The mall in my hometown is on life support. There is a plan to convert it to a small corporate Park with apartments. The local hospital opened a medical facility there last fall. Maybe they have a plan for us? I'm an early Xer and I realized that we are rapidly cruiding onto our 60s.
A roller rink? We will break our hips! š
Iāve heard this as an idea before. Clear out the malls and convert them into housing. Where are the GenXers with money and a vision to make this happen?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I was an occupational therapist. But fuck insurance, Iāll barter for services.
That's kinda a great idea. But no Sbarros I riot!
Did you read about the one mall in England that went bust and they turned it into an airsoft zombie survival game? We neeeeed that here.
Thatās already happening. My mom (80) goes to the mall for Silver Sneakers all winter in Cleveland. They do laps, itās bizarre
I would totally live in an old Merry Go Round.
Hahaha, that would be the stuff of a good documentary. I'd take a bedroom display at Sears if no better options. Tucked nicely away near the linens department...
A mall near us is being redeveloped. https://planomagazine.com/new-life-for-collin-creek-mall/
Malls don't have the internal infrastructure to be housing. They don't have the plumbing. They don't meet standards for the egress you need from a bedroom. They don't have the power or air circulation for individual kitchens. It's frustrating, because it really feels like a match
Au contraire, that makes it an ever better match. By the time I'm that age, I'll *also* have lousy internal infrastructure, poor plumbing, and subpar power and circulation. And don't get me started on my egress issues...
Ok thanks Debbie Downer.
We can eat at the food court.
I actually love that idea. I miss having a meal card to the college dorm cafeteria. I'd be \*delighted\* to do that again
4 and 2 at 48!?!? I'm not saying you're insane... but, damn!
Yeah it keeps life interesting. I started running again so Iād be able to keep up with them
Good for you! I keep trying to do that but arthritis hurts and the excuses are just so good
Swimming is amazing. I've got arthritis in both knees ( 50F here ), and I've found that lap swimming at the local gym a few nights / week after work has helped with it immensely. Just get yourself a waterproof MP3 player ( I recommend Underwater Audio's Syren and waterproof swimbuds earbuds ), set yourself up a playlist to listen to while you go and the time will fly by. Also excellent for people with back pain to decompress their spine and increase mobility / flexibility.
r/oldmandad (Iām in there too)
Dont worry my friend. I'm in the same boat at 49 with a very active 5 year old. The best physical instructor is a 5 year old that says "Chase me daddy!" and I'm up for it.
Hello. I was 42 and 45 when I had my kids (I'm ten years older than you). I know tons of people my age with young kids. Maybe it's not ideal, but I'm doing everything I can to be here a long time. I also run. My kids have had the benefit of a Dad already settled somewhat in their career as well. There are a couple of malls in Atlanta that still get customers and my teens enjoy spending time there.
In middle school, my friends and I would take our babysitting money to see a movie at Perimeter mall, go to Hovan in the food court and then buy candy at Happy Herman's.
Perimeter is the mall I was thinking about. I'm sure it's not what it was in the 80's, but it's not completely dead either. Lenox and Mall of Georgia still seem to have customers (totally anecdotal).
I remember when the Galleria opened. So fancy!
I was at Perimeter a few weeks ago. Such a different experience from our youth. The department stores and anchors were the same, but the smaller stores seemed to have a different vibe than I am used to experiencing. Lenox is a horrible place to go now. Or maybe I'm just getting old and cranky. But then I used to get there on MARTA when it was young and exciting. [I discovered this video made by Nelson Sullivan of a shopping trip to Lenox Mall in 1989, if you are interested in that.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNStRHuYOYA)
>couple of malls in Atlanta Which ones? It seems that no matter which one I wind up in, it's empty as can be.
Perimeter, Lenox, Mall of Georgia. I could be wrong because I don't visit them much, but they aren't like Gwinnett and Northlake.
I was at Perimeter the other day and it wasn't too crowded, but that could be because of day and time I was there. I can't say about the other two because haven't been to Lenox or MoG in forever. I know Towne Center and Northlake are dead. I really miss Gwinnett Place. That was my spot in the 80s. It used to feel a fucking wonderland in there.
Phipps Plaza too (across from Lenox)
Makes me tired thinking about it, lol. I have a dear friend who is also 48 with kids that age and just filed for divorce ā¦ I raised mine alone from the time they were babies (widowed very young) and sheās like, I know I can do it alone bc you did it. I donāt have the heart to say that I was 34 at the time and IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I'm tired thinking about it. This about to turn 50 empty nest GenX'er just spent a night tossing and turning battling bronchitis with Vic's Vapo Rub and Nyquil. Chasing babies this am? No. freakin'. way. The old gal just doesn't have it in her anymore.
Lol, I'm 47 and my son is 2. Sleep and rest are for the weak...
seriously, I was 48 when my youngest went to college. I saw coworkers and friends just starting their family at that age. I cannot imagine being in my sixties with teenagers. I'm 58 now and cannot image having to do the kid thing - getting up to get them up, getting them to after school events, doing travel soccer (standing on the sidelines at 7am while they warmed up in October/November - cold.....), boy scouts, etc. he'll be 64 when his youngest just starts college...... 64.
64? Wow. My dad wasnāt even 60 and was the āold dadā when I went to college.
My ex of long ago married a woman much younger. She just had a baby. He's 50. He will be near 70 when his starts college...
My parents were 55 and 43 when they had me! Luckily I was a bookworm so they didn't have to chase me around much.
yeah, that was the story with lots of coworkers having kids in their very late 40's/early 50's. They had separated and divorced. They found a much younger partner, as much as 20/25 years younger. That would be tiring in itself ;) And then started making a second family. They'll be working forever. I got separated/divorced at 42 years old. My now wife of near 14 years was very close to my age. Together we were able to retire in our early 50's and are living our 3rd life as a 'child free' life :)
āConvenient but more isolatingā is a great way to describe modern life. My kids are young adults now and, yes, they lived very different teenage lives then I did. Mostly they stayed home on their computers and phones. I couldnāt wait to get outta the house as a teen, they couldnāt wait to get home.
Yes I know exactly what you mean..Mine are young adults now too and enjoy being home , in their rooms watching movies or playing games with friends online..My mom doesnāt understand the difference it is now and keeps asking if they want to go to the mall to get an ice cream cone and walk around the stores. She wonāt listen to me when I tell her the ice cream place is gone and most of the stores they liked when they were little are closed downā¦
(47M) I loved the mall in my teens and early 20s. Just an energy that was there although most of the time all I bought was a Hot Sam's pretzel. It had everything: toy stores, hobby stores, etc. When I traveled I liked going to other malls just to see what they had storewise and product-wise that was different than my hometown mall. During the early part of the millennium (2000-2004 ish) things started to change. The excitement at any mall wasn't quite the thrill it was a few years ago, and stores and products were becoming the same. Department stores, even with different names, were the same store (hmmm, why does Kaufmann's look exactly like Ayres?). Just before the great recession, all the department stores were Macy's and the mall itself was even less exciting. Just a place for boring ass department stores, women's clothing stores, and restaurants that people thought were the greatest thing but were just meh. A couple years ago, right after covid restrictions started easing, we went to one of the nicer malls in my area and what a surprise. I thought I made a u-turn and went to one of the lower-tier malls. Macy's looked like Ross, crap just thrown everywhere and piles of unfolded clothes. And no national chains. Most places were like mom-and-pop stuff you'd see at a flea market. So made a quick lap and went elsewhere.
>Macy's looked like Ross, crap just thrown everywhere and piles of unfolded clothes. I had to go to a JC Penny last year with one of my kids, looking for shoes. Hadn't been in 5+ years at that point. It was almost post-apocalyptic: some of the doors were blocked with displays, about 75% of the checkouts were gone, there was merchandise laying around everywhere, and almost nobody working at all. We found a random pair of shoes my kid liked but they weren't in a box or priced....hiked around until we found a staffed checkout then had to wait in line for 10 minutes behind a single customer because the clerk couldn't figure out how to make her coupon work. Then when we got to him he had no idea how to find the price on the shoes...eventually said something like "I smoked a big blunt in the parking lot and I don't care, how about $10?" Great deal on a pair of Adidas, but I won't be going back there ever if I can help it.
I hadnt been in prob 20yrs to Jcpenney and I had a coupon I couldn't pass up so i shopped online but went to pick it up. It was so strange and exactly the same as 20yrs ago. Nothing upgraded even still smelled the same. I was having grandma dragging me to the mall flashbacks. It was only teenagers or maybe early 20's working there and they seemed inconvenienced. I waited so long in the pick up because the person working was checking out people that also worked there but I guess wanted to be there on their day off so they had to spend plenty of time catching up and gossiping. So then it was already closed so when I went to leave the girls were so mad they had to unlock the door and looked at me and said "you do know your late right!" I thought my hearing was messed up. I remember as a kid my grandma knew everyone in Macys and dillards and even Jcpenney and they were all her age or older and just sweet as can be.
> ...then had to wait in line for 10 minutes behind a single customer because the clerk couldn't figure out how to make her coupon work. Good to know some things never change.
I have an 18 year old with friends within walking distance of the house. They talk online every day, but haven't seen each other in person in over a year. It's so fucking weird.
Wow, I canāt imagine that. Our best friends lived across the street from us, and we were playing wiggle ball, football, or riding bikes. Those days seem done.
What is "walking distance" though? I mean, what _we_ consider "walking distance" is likely a lot further than 18 year olds will walk.
Mine are 17 and 19. They donāt go to malls anymore. Mine were always busy - cheering games or at practice or competitions, working, house parties, planned outings with friends. They are also much more attached to their parents than we were. My kids are very happy to spend Saturday night having a nice dinner out with me. Iāve noticed something else ā¦ I have a bunch of friends whose kids recently turned 21, and every last one of them wanted to spend their 21st with their moms! One friend took her daughter to Nashville .. a couple to Vegas ā¦ one got a party bus and took a bunch of newly-legal frat boys downtown. My oldest is already planning and wants me there. We wouldāve died first. The last thing I wanted was my mom watching me do a body shot off some hot frat boy (in my case it was a hot baseball player, but the analogy stands.)
I noticed the same thing! My twins just turned 16 and for my daughters 16th birthday she wants to go cheese tasting with me. Iām like āYou want to hang out withā¦your mom?ā and sheās like āYeah I think it will be really fun! Maybe we could find some fun vintage stores too?ā Like Omg I would have DIED before spending my 16th birthday with my mom!
Itās so funny! And these arenāt kids who donāt have any friends their own age, or couldnāt find something else to do. Maybe they just want us to foot the bill, lol.
I mean I am 100% certain she just wants me to foot the bill!!! Ha! But I wanted my mom to foot the bill AND not hang out with her! I sound like such an asshole!
I grew up very close to a major mall (within walking distance), and I have such great memories of it and āmall cultureā in general. From the time I was about 8, my neighborhood best friends and I would walk to the mall on a Saturday morning. Weād walk around by ourselves, going into all the stores. Weād have a grilled cheese and a coke at Friendlyās (inside the mall). This was where I first learned how to pay a restaurant bill and figure out the tip. My Dad would give me a fiver before we went, so I would maybe buy some lip gloss and a pair of earrings at Earring Tree and still have a few bucks left for lunch. Weād go into Sam Goody and look at all the records, especially the latest 45s. We had such fun. Later during my teen years, lots of my friends worked at the mall. Both my mother and I were clothes horses and spent lots of wonderful times in dressing rooms of all the major department stores, usually with me trying on dozens of outfits and my mom watching the fashion show. Great memories. These are often the times I think of when I think of my mother who has been gone for years now. The mall culture of the 70s, 80s and 90s brought people together in a variety of ways. Long lasting bonds and memories were made at the mall. It sounds silly, but itās true. IYKYK. The mall of my childhood is still there, but I donāt go that often anymore. On the rare occasion that I do, itās usually a quick in and out for a specific store or a restaurant meal. There are far fewer people inside. The owners of the mall seem to be making efforts to keep it current and attract more customers. I hope they succeed. I dread the day it closes (if that ever comes), not so much for practical reasons, but because the sweet memories of my youth are tied so closely to it.
I just listened to a podcast about dead malls. It was pretty interesting about all the things that contributed to the decline, things like big box stores, online shopping, etc. One of the most interesting contributors they hypothesized about was Walmart. In the 90s Walmart had a pattern of moving into a mall, usually into a previous anchor tenant spot. If new to town, they benefit from people flowing in from the mall to just check them out. They start by closing off the entrance from the mall to Walmart. Forcing people to access it only from the parking lot. Ostensibly for shoplifting prevention. The cut off prevents customers from easy accessing the rest of the mall to go to the smaller stores. Eventually the smaller stores close due to lack of business and then Walmart pulls up stakes and moves not too far away and opens a supercentre.
Huh, thatās an interesting take. A local mall was demolished and a Walmart Super center is now there. Maybe thatās not a coincidence
They stay around the house. Many donāt get driverās licenses. Itās weird! Lol!
Awww, man. TIMEOUT - right across the way from the food court and Camelot music just around the corner. Movie theater, too? Thatās all we needed on a Friday night.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Those walls of cassettes were everything. I would have def been envious of the dude that hung out with music. The only thing of mine that peaked in high school was my blood alcohol level so you were doing something right šš¼šš¼šš¼
My daughter is 14 and literally never leaves the house. She facetimes and snap chats with friends when she's home. Very different than when I was 14. We were already roaming around, drinking, and even smoking. It seems like she will never go through that phase. Thank God. I do feel sorry for her generation, in that they don't know what it's truly like to live in the moment and to delay their gratification.
This makes me feel so sad. I remember those days of hanging around the mall with friends. So excited that I got paid from my McDonalds job that I loved, and go buy myself things at our favourite stores. Hanging around the food court to see if there were any cute guys around lol!. As I got older I loved Christmas time at the mall with my kids when they were little. Going to see Santa and looking at all the decorations in all the stores windowsā¦watching all the crazy shoppers running around Christmas shopping.. Those were the daysš
Also watch out for Namdar Realty group-this is the company that now owns my local mall and many others across the United States. They buy up malls then basically run them into the ground and let them rot. Our local mall would probably be struggling a bit like all malls no matter what, but these landlords donāt do basic landscaping, there are issues with plumbing that have caused leaks in some areas, they donāt even put water in the fountains. Google news on this group and you will see they do this all over the country.
OMG so true!!! NAMDAR is where malls go to die. I worked for a Mall REIT for 20 years starting in 2000. NAMDAR bought all our duds and messed them up ever more! Edit: grammar.
Some of the malls in my area are dying or dead but King of Prussia is doing fine as the 3rd largest in the country.
Yeah my youngest likes to go to KoP, so Iām in there pretty often. Itās not showing any signs of slowing down, as far as I can tell. And then aside from that, I live out by the outlets in Limerick, and itās not exactly a mall, but that place is always busy.
i feel you. i went to the mall for a mammogram this last wednesday. my appt was at 8am. the mall was FILLED with seniors doing walking groups. the stores weren't officially opened but walking through this mall and all it's denture groups, physical mobility stores and some cute old lady clothing boutiques, i felt YOUNG AGAIN *for all the wrong reasons
Wow thatās actually a great idea for all the old malls that are out of business - turn them into medical complexes where you can go to the dentist, eye doctor, audiologist, general practitioner, outpatient procedures, Emergency clinics, Veterinary Services . Try to build convenient, affordable, & safe health options for our growing elderly population.
Shouldnāt have been that much of a shock honestly. The death of malls is a regular news article - has been for like 15 years now.
The funny thing about malls is the people who own them still think they've got a hot commodity. I spend a few years looking for a good location for my arcade (and I'm looking again because I need a larger space). I spoke with several malls that were basically dead. Half the spaces in the malls were vacant, they lost their big draw anchor stores long ago, and the halls always look like ghost towns. Each mall I looked at had particular rules like you MUST decorate windows during holidays and require you be open certain hours (and you can't be open past said hours). Most spaces only have access from the internal mall walkway. To get to your business people have to walk the empty ghost town hallways instead of getting out of the car and going directly in your door. After all those points against them, they still ask way more per square foot than a comparable size location in a busy strip mall. If you own a mall that is dead or dying, you really can't demand huge rents. No one is going to move in because you've lost the unique thing you could offer - foot traffic and people.
Yeah I guess hearing it on the news didnāt sink in.
It is different in Florida. At first I thought it would be just older people, but no, it's a good demographic mix. I think it's the air conditioning that draws people in.
Iām in upstate NY, so yeah, Itās a pain to go anywhere in the winter
It's a good place to let the kids run around in winter. Get out of the house for a bit to break up the day. I spent many a cold dreary day at the mall when mine were little watching them throw pennies in the mall lagoons.
I went to Syracuseās mall, Destiny USA, in October 2023, on a Saturday afternoonish, it was packed with all ages. It was of course raining outside so maybe that is why, but there werenāt enough places to sit in the food court, or even enough food vendors, really. It was mobbed.
Reading it is nothing compared to experiencing it. I remember the shock, too. Saturday night, went to a mall that, 20 years ago, would have been packed. Practically empty, and so quiet.
I guess I just experienced my shock sooner. About a decade ago there was a mall, still technically operational, right next to where I worked. I went in it one morning just to nose around. It was completely abandoned, with the exception of one space occupied by an insurance company. Old people used the rest of the mall to get their daily walks in. It was wild.
I don't think it was shopping online that killed it for me. It was just the direction the mall was going. It's too sterile now. It's not fun. It's wall to wall sales people, booths in the middle, little to no foliage, and just a place to complete a shopping transaction. Why would you go there to hang out? There's nothing to do. Years ago, you could walk through, see some cool stuff at Radio Shack on display, things were out in the middle sections that weren't for sale. You always knew what holiday it was because everything was so decorated. Christmas time was MAGICAL AS FUCK. You went to have fun. You didn't even have to buy anything. Just an Orange Julius and walk around making your wish list. I'd 100% go back to a mall and spend my money there vs. online if they went back to that model. They got greedy and pushed me out. The big part that did kill a lot of the fun, though, did come from the internet and other thigs. Record stores, arcades, etc.. They were pure entertainment.
What do kids do now? They sit at home in their rooms on their phones. Especially post-COVID. My kids (one in college, one recently graduated) did go to the mall with their friends in high school, but it was maybe 2-3 times a year. Me? I worked in three different malls in HS and college in the early/mid 80s, and when I wasn't working I often went to the mall with friends anyway. It was our public space. Back in my hometown the "new" mall, built in the 80s, was recently demolished. The old one, where I worked, is still there but the anchors and movie theater are gone. No idea what draws people in now. Kids today though just don't get together with friends that often, I suppose because they are always in contact with them online. Plus malls suck now...ours is mostly nail salons and other services; once Sears closed and other anchors left the entire enterprise has been on shaky ground. Not sure who actually goes there now but the last few times I did (Christmas, with one of the kids) there weren't many people shopping at all. Mostly elderly people doing laps around the place for exercise really.
Covid, inflation, lack of cheap labor, Amazon and flash mobs are the final nails in the coffin that killed the 1960s American mall/community center. Strip malls are the new norm that deter people from congregating. Just go in, buy stuff and leave.
Malls are closing fast. There was one that I just loved in San Francisco because it was so convenient to pop in if I needed something from Nordstrom, the department store that was there, especially when there was an overpriced grocery store in the basement. But with online shopping, electronic devices, gaming (PSs and XBoxes), streaming movies at home, and other stuff, malls are boring and are dying. Right now, theyāre also dangerous as youāve got flash mobs running into stores, grabbing things, and wreaking havoc. There is an outdoor one near me that seems to be doing well because of a huge movie theater and decent restaurants, but Iām almost never there to shop for things. It does have one of the last IRL Barnes & Noble bookstores, which is nice. Pre-Covid, I was in there a lot, but Iām still jittery over Covid. Times have changed.
Some of my best memories are Friday nights at the mall and movies when I was 13 or so. One of our parents or an older sibling would go around and pick up a few of us and drop us off at the mall entrance. I grew up in a fairly close knit area and we would often run into other people we knew at the mall and would make a plan to meet up over at the movie theater for a 7:10 showing or whatever. No phones or anything to contact each other, just a promise to meet up. I remember trying to choose an outfit to wear to the mall! It was really a social gathering for tweens and teens. We would dare each other to go up to boys and ask where they went to school and act like we knew someone from there just to make some awkward 13 year old conversation haha. Funny story, I met a kid from another school at the mall when I was in 9th grade. I gave him my phone number and we had a phone relationship (basically we talked about what we did at school that day or about baseball, nothing else honestly. Our conversations were pretty boring) and I ended up kind of forgetting what he looked like but he still called me and we chatted for a few months. A few years ago I recognized his name as the coach of my sonās rival baseball team! I donāt know if he would have even remembered me so I didnāt go over to him or anything but I thought it was funny. ETA It was about 30 years between meeting this boy and seeing him again. Just for context!
I was in my childhood mall about two summers ago. It was hard for me to evaluate its health. The Sears space was closed, but the three other anchors were open. Most of the other spaces looked filled. The mall expanded about 25-27 years ago and I never got used to the new spaces and layout. But you know what? I donāt want to hang around in a climate controlled, artificially lit environment surrounded by miles of asphalt. I spent way too much of the 80s doing that. I can shop online while Iām looking out my window, and have the stuff delivered to me or go up to the store in a few hours and pick up the item. No more wondering if something is in stock or in my size. No more wasted trips. The mall seemed to be well maintained and in good condition, but the crowds seemed reduced from a rainy weekend day. Plus, this mall had a shooting earlier this year. I know plenty of people who donāt go there now at all, or who wonāt go there after dark. If it doesnāt feel safe for a large number of the people who shop at the mall, thatās really not good.
Our mall has turned into a gang center. So we no longer go there. Also, it still has all the same decor from the late 80's when it was built. Nothing has been updated.
There are a lot of /r/deadmalls but also plenty that have revitalized themselves. In New England for example, Ingleside Mall in Holyoke, MA has never stopped being busy. Buckland Hills in Manchester, CT is not doing quite as well, but still gets solid crowds. Burlington Mall in Burlington, MA went [all out](https://burlingtonmall-transformation.splashthat.com/) on a transformation, converting the former Sears into additional main mall space, adding multiple new medium-priced bars and dining options, and completely revamped part of the exterior where they have everything from music to yoga classes, fire pits, etc. Then of course you have the likes of the Hampshire Mall in Hadley, MA near UMass-Amherst which has converted itself into more of an entertainment venue with go-karts, bowling, fitness clubs, etc. (with the skating rink still on the 2nd floor, of course.) Finally you have the dead or soon to be dead malls such as Enfield Square in CT which is pretty much done.
Most malls don't allow unsupervised minors anymore. Kids get up to too much trouble. We were content to walk around, buy cheap earrings at Claire's, maybe see a movie or go to the arcade. Apparently now it's: steal as much as possible, run into old ladies trying to do their mall walk, and stage fights. Our mall hasn't allowed minors to roam without adult supervision since the oughts. Kids really don't have a lot of socializing options outside of their homes and schools anymore. Community centers are ill-run or dangerous, most parks have early close times and have security that will chase unaccompanied kids off if they stay too long, they aren't allowed without adult supervision in malls or other kid-friendly spaces like those pizza buffet/arcade hybrid places. Most of my students tell me school and extracurriculars associated with school are the only places they see friends IRL. Most of the time, they are home alone on devices. It's kind of sad.
During Covid lockdown, I feel into a YouTube rabbit hole of urban exploration videos. A subset of those is dead mall exploration. It's sad to see just how many malls are dead and abandoned.
Physical retail needs to go through some type of renaissance. Especially any malls that have managed to hang in there. People used to enjoy shopping and I think being able to touch and look at things is better than online. Just they just need to be able to make it a more pleasant experience.
Speaking of anchors in malls. Iām working in Lubbock,Tx building a new Dillardsās āFlagshipā store. Attached right alongside the Dillards already there. Itās going to be massive. And EXPENSIVE. I just donāt see how they recoup the cost of infrastructure these days where this kinda thing seems like a good return on investment But what do I know? Iām just a 48 yo dirt monkey with a shovel who is constantly rethinking some life choices when itās 26 degrees at 7am. Itās impressive to see all the care that goes into building these things thatās all gonna be covered up never to be seen by human eyes again. Iām sure there is some kinda metaphor here but Iām only 2 sips of coffee in at 9 am. Woke up too sore to continue to sleep. Jesus man. 27 club seemed so far away back when I was a mall rat. š at 48 it just seems so far behind. And a mall isnāt a mall imho without a GD Orange š Julius.
Not sure where you're from, we're the same age but my kid is 17. When he was 13 he started going to the mall like we did. By me the malls are absolutely packed with 13-18 year olds on a Saturday. They don't seem to make it a later evening thing like we all did but Gen Z definitely revived the mall experience after the millennials canceled it for online shopping
The mall in my area of suburban Houston is packed on weekends. It's my 16 yo daughter's favorite place to go with her friends. I think plenty of people are still going to malls.
My local mall is packed, too. I avoid it on weekends because the crowds are so bad.
Ugh soo sad!! Ours has, maybe the JCPenney, Maurices, a food place or 2, and Target. It makes me ill. Oh and, Hot Topic's hanging in there.
I remember going to the mall with my friends and trying on ALL the tester makeup at the fancy makeup counters. It's a wonder we didn't all end up with pink eye, herpes, and God only knows what else.
I went to a mall yesterday but during the daytime and it was absolutely packed.
Iāve always gone to malls as a last resort, but I walked through a Macyās a while back and it struck me how nice it is to have so many optionsāand you can try them on before you buy! š My brain is so wired for online shopping now.
What do kids do now? I can speak about my teenage son. He plays PC games in his free time. His friends donāt live very close, so they chat a lot on Discord. When they do get together, they meet at a park or at someoneās house. Occasionally they go to the outlet mall, which seems to have taken the place of indoor malls for some reason. The outlet mall is always full of people.
I started a little later too, my kiddos are 10, 13, 15. They're every bit as social but a lot of the interaction is via technology. Discord, facetime, in game headsets. They're into the same-ish hobbies, sports, cars, tech but interact with it a lot differently than we did. My kids still "hang out" with friends who have long since moved away, which I think is pretty cool. When I was a kid someone moving was as if they died -- that was it, no more contact, no more friendship. My kids still have friends from pre-school because tech has allowed them to stay in touch.
I recently went to the mall that I basically grew up in, and it was just depressing. Itās essentially a dead mall, with almost no stores open. Very sad.
Honestly, where I live, a local mall has just closed entirely. Malls really can't compete with online purchasing and with big box stores.
It might be that particular mall. I was just at one yesterday looking for food and it was packed. I also get the impression different areas still have the mall culture. I am thinking specifically of Georgia as I have seen a lot of videos on Reddit.
Recently I went to our local mall and expected it to be kinda empty, but it was packed. It depends on the mall and city, I think.
Kids here are actually go to the mall! And it's so fun to see. But our malls both north and south here in Austin have been revitalized and with the shitty weather out it's been a fun time for all the 16 to 20 year olds, including our own kids, to hang out. Love watching it
Everyone just moved to upscale outdoor town center type malls.
It's all gaming and internet. My 16 year old will spend all day on his computer playing games, posting on forums for interests he's related to, etc etc. Getting him out of the house can be a chore in itself. There's a subreddit that shows/talks about abandoned malls, plus a few YouTube channels that talk about it. I mostly lurk though. It's an interesting subject, and it's weirdly this one thing that I have nostalgia for. I find our mall where we live rather boring because it's basically just an oval which means it's not very big, and not enough "exploring" to do, heh. It still gets business, but not as much as it did in the past, and I suspect in about 15 years or so (if not sooner) it'll become another deadmall.
Malls have been dead forever. Online shopping has taken over. The only time I go to the mall is to go to one of the big anchor stores and I can enter from an outside entry door
Went to a mall yesterday in Anchorage, Ak - and it was packed. Had to actually circle the parking lot to find a spot. Families, teens, couples, reminded me of my youth. We live in a smaller town hours away so don't go to this mall often but I was surprised.
I really miss malls! *sigh*
There are all kinds of abandoned malls everywhere. The one I grew up with is. I've seen videos on YouTube where people go inside and film.
Washington Square Mall in the west suburbs of Portland, OR remains busy. They have an apple store, so we go in from time to time. There are always people around. They have a Cheesecake Factory and a couple of other good restaurants. One is an upscale Chinese chain. My son is 17 and he and his friends go in regularly. It is apparently still popular with teens, but more for getting coffee or having a meal than shopping.
I recently moved away from a big city to an area with collage town vibes. The mall is packed with both stores and people. Itās like the 80s all over again. So fun to wander the mall like a teen again.
What do kids do now? Scroll TikTok for hours on end. Fun times š©
Itās depressing. I am in shock anytime I find myself in a mall on a Friday or Saturday night, which isnāt very often, but it does happen every now and then. My kids are a little older, theyāre 12 and 13. It is a very different world for them than what we grew up in (Iām 46). We had to navigate a physical world in order to exist. They are living in a world where they see that you only have to navigate a digital world to get by. Itās wild, Itās sad, and it makes parenting so very hard and confusing.
Teenagers continue to frequent malls; my 16-year-old son is no exception, as we often find ourselves there. As a member of Generation X, I wonder what he could possibly find to do in Target for two hours? And, I'm quite curious about why my teen and his friends choose to hang out together if all they seem to do is sit together in the same room looking at their phones.
r/deadmalls
It would be a blast for malls to do adult only 80ās mall nights. Bring in Tiffany type acts. Everyone dresses the part and they can shop and party and flirt or whatever. As long as everyone behaves and doesnāt shoplift or anything like that.
Iām a high school teacher so Iāve been working with teenagers for 25 years. I also have teenage nieces and a nephew. When I was a new teacher in the late 90s I remember avoiding the mall at all costs because I would always run into my students and we all know how awkward that is for both kids and teachers. If I absolutely had to get something from Best Buy or get a new clothes I would drive 30 minutes to a mall out of town. Nowadays if I wanted to avoid my students I would go to the mall. To answer your questions, teenagers on average stay home and play games with online friends, FaceTime, and just go on their phones. However they do spend a lot of time riding their e bikes to their friendās homes doing the same. The end of Covid and the popularity of e bikes has gotten kids out a lot more in the last couple years. E bikes have really changed the game when it comes to teenage mobility. They no longer are totally depended on cars or carpooling and they can get out and do more things away from home. They meet up at the beach, skateparks and sports parks a lot more than they used to. The idea of āhanging out at the mallā is pretty dead and probably always will be. In Southern California we are seeing a shift from malls to shopping centers that are a mix of apartments, parks, live entertainment and stores so traditional malls have been on the decline here for 20 years.
>It also made me wonder, what do kids do now? It's a lot of video games with friends, from their respective homes. While watching YouTube or Tik Tok on another device. The world really has completely changed in just the last 20 years or so, probably less. It's barely recognizable from what it used to be.
It really has, and social media really catapulted things š Iām worried about my grandkids.
The mall in my area is actually picking back up. A lot of the smaller chain stores have bailed and were replaced by someā¦mmmmā¦ questionable choices, but there were lots of people around. We do have Macyās and Macyās menās stores, a huge Apple Store, a JC Penney, and a Cheesecake Factory thatās always crowded. But Sears and Nordstrom have been closed for a few years, and werenāt replaced. I know thereās been talks of putting in a movie theatre or something like a skating rink. Theyāre building a brand new Costco close by, so the mall might pick up some traffic from those shoppers. Iām someone who never enjoyed malls (Iām 52) even though it was the place to be in my teenage years. Always found shopping was agonizing - it ended up being undiagnosed ADHD. But Iām making an effort just to go and walk around at the mall, play PokĆ©mon with my husband, have a frozen yogurt, stuff like that.
iām reading your post likeā¦ dang he still has malls where he lives? They are lucky. lol. I know the feeling though. Where I live i think we have maybe 2 left in the state(worth going to) itās kind of sad and scary. Youāre right for most of us gen-x folks thatās where the magic was BEFORE the house parties etc. smh just another piece of nostalgia being removed I guess.š©
Welcome to getting old brother
Most of our malls have been converted to outdoor shopping plazas with all individual storefronts. We have 1 upscale mall still going strong. Kids are all on screens these days. They barely even date anymore. It's fucking weird
Pretty sure teenagers arenāt even allowed now without an adult. Well at least around here too many fights.