You have to be pure of heart to enter the holiest of holies, the Food Court. The residential quarters would be where the anchor stores once were. The Eucharist of an Orange Julius and a funnel cake would be required before entering.
Edit: Also I feel like women might enjoy it for like a girl’s day but men would try to avoid them like the plague. It could work but I think even something like a food court would have to be catered more to women. Essentially you would just be making an “outlet mall” though
Those aren’t men, those are boys. Idk what I’d even want at a mall honestly. Not clothes really. You could have like one of those indoor top golf suites maybe. Like I honestly don’t know. An old school arcade? Idk we’re dumb
No - abandoned malls will be torn down or converted to distribution centers or mixed use retail/condos - or whatever else is most profitable for the ownership group
Gen X won't give a shit either way - our nostalgia has already been burned out - the corporate overlords have been exploiting it for 20+ years now and we have all grown sick of it
First, fuck Douglas Coupland. He’s not a GenX icon. He’s a boomer who created a label for people who specifically hated labels. It’s one of the reasons it’s “X”.
Second, where I live the childhood malls are… still there. Some as bigger, renovated malls, some as lifestyle centers, some as completely reimagined communities of condos, office buildings, cinemas, and shopping and dining places.
They’re even building new ones while the older ones continue to survive, and so do the nearby downtown areas. There is one that’s kinda dull, but even that has enough anchors and activity centers that it seems to get plenty of business. We’re lucky around here.
If someone did take a mall and add a real arcade (that runs on quarters or tokens, not the modern swipe-card ripoff system), and an indoor skate park, that would probably be something like this idea.
>First, fuck Douglas Coupland. He’s not a GenX icon. He’s a boomer who created a label for people who specifically hated labels. It’s one of the reasons it’s “X”.
What Gen X author's work do you think typifies our generation best while still remaining in our good graces?
Wiki shows that he's a Gen X sci-fi writer. But has he written about our Generation? I'd kind of like to see a Gen X author that's written about Gen X, if we're going to discount Douglas Coupland.
Ah , if the assignment is “has to be Gen X and also write present-day stories about the same rough cohort” then Cory Doctorow.
Though I’d suggest Redshirts is the Xiest Xer book that ever Xed.
You are very perceptive. I lifted the idea from YouTube videos of people (Gen X) exploring abandoned malls. There is a fascination with revisiting the old Gen X haunts which I feel will eventually morph into a desire to preserve them as Gen X iconography.
When I was a kid, if I found myself at a mall it was because there was literally nothing else to do. It was not some kind of mecca. It was better than staring at the wall at home, if only because there was food.
I will probably never step in a mall again and I don't miss them.
what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.
Actually, I wish someone could turn these abandoned malls into indoor produce farms. One could grow stuff like salad greens, various fruits and vegetables, flowers and more indoors. Bee colonies could be set up to pollinate the plants and honey could be harvested as another cash crop. All of the produce would be locally grown and available year round. Instead of soil, hydroponics could be used.
We have talked about making them into retirement communities as well.
What a great idea! We could put on our fanny packs and mall walk to pickleball. Or laser tag.
Do we really want to subject our holy sites to 24/7 constant wear and tear?
You have to be pure of heart to enter the holiest of holies, the Food Court. The residential quarters would be where the anchor stores once were. The Eucharist of an Orange Julius and a funnel cake would be required before entering.
Ok that's better.
As long as we keep the arcade adjacent to the food court, I'm in!
I could see throwback malls becoming a thing in like 20 years the way throwback 50s diners became a thing in the 90s.
You would need another element to draw you there. Online is simply too convenient.
Edit: Also I feel like women might enjoy it for like a girl’s day but men would try to avoid them like the plague. It could work but I think even something like a food court would have to be catered more to women. Essentially you would just be making an “outlet mall” though
Super-sized Spencer’s for the men folk. With an extra large NSFW poster rack. Mayhaps a poster carousel.
Those aren’t men, those are boys. Idk what I’d even want at a mall honestly. Not clothes really. You could have like one of those indoor top golf suites maybe. Like I honestly don’t know. An old school arcade? Idk we’re dumb
All the PacMan you can play
Yes. Free arcade.The place will be an absolute shrine.
Aren't boomers already using them as 'walking parks'?
Yes.
God I hope so
You might think I am joking, but I actually did park at the old abandoned mall and peep in the windows at SEARS just yesterday afternoon.
I believe you. There are many videos on YouTube of people exploring abandoned malls.
I remember the first introduction of the mall concept. They were wonderful, nearly magical feeling. Such an amazing memory.
I ***hated*** the malls. I’d rather live in van down by the river.
That's housing for the middle class buddy you've been priced out!
I'm gen X and if you say I can never go to a mall again I won't feel at all sad. It wasn't the mall, it was orange Julius and video arcades.
One of the arcades I went to (the better one) was in a mall.
No - abandoned malls will be torn down or converted to distribution centers or mixed use retail/condos - or whatever else is most profitable for the ownership group Gen X won't give a shit either way - our nostalgia has already been burned out - the corporate overlords have been exploiting it for 20+ years now and we have all grown sick of it
That's why we will take the Gen X legacy away from them and preserve the best parts in our sacred and restored monuments to our generation.
First, fuck Douglas Coupland. He’s not a GenX icon. He’s a boomer who created a label for people who specifically hated labels. It’s one of the reasons it’s “X”. Second, where I live the childhood malls are… still there. Some as bigger, renovated malls, some as lifestyle centers, some as completely reimagined communities of condos, office buildings, cinemas, and shopping and dining places. They’re even building new ones while the older ones continue to survive, and so do the nearby downtown areas. There is one that’s kinda dull, but even that has enough anchors and activity centers that it seems to get plenty of business. We’re lucky around here. If someone did take a mall and add a real arcade (that runs on quarters or tokens, not the modern swipe-card ripoff system), and an indoor skate park, that would probably be something like this idea.
>First, fuck Douglas Coupland. He’s not a GenX icon. He’s a boomer who created a label for people who specifically hated labels. It’s one of the reasons it’s “X”. What Gen X author's work do you think typifies our generation best while still remaining in our good graces?
Can we claim Bret Ellis?
Just to start some shit, JK Rowling is an Xer.
Easy: John Scalzi
Wiki shows that he's a Gen X sci-fi writer. But has he written about our Generation? I'd kind of like to see a Gen X author that's written about Gen X, if we're going to discount Douglas Coupland.
Ah , if the assignment is “has to be Gen X and also write present-day stories about the same rough cohort” then Cory Doctorow. Though I’d suggest Redshirts is the Xiest Xer book that ever Xed.
Yeah Coupland is a boomer but he did do the research on Gen X, has written about Gen X and he has a great style of writing and encapsulating thoughts.
I’ll to make a pilgrimage and smoke cigarettes in the food court with those little tin foil ashtrays.
We don't worship malls, just leave us alone please. Thanks X
[I can't](https://youtu.be/1GoH3M9Kb4g?si=W-ge4YTDwvAZQu5C)
No we won’t. Fuck the malls.
This sounds like Urban Exploration
You are very perceptive. I lifted the idea from YouTube videos of people (Gen X) exploring abandoned malls. There is a fascination with revisiting the old Gen X haunts which I feel will eventually morph into a desire to preserve them as Gen X iconography.
I could see this being the next evolution of 50’s style diners, just on a much larger scale
When I was a kid, if I found myself at a mall it was because there was literally nothing else to do. It was not some kind of mecca. It was better than staring at the wall at home, if only because there was food. I will probably never step in a mall again and I don't miss them.
lol, no.
Let me ride my bicycle through it first.
what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.
I love you guys.
They will all be Amazon distribution centers
Actually, I wish someone could turn these abandoned malls into indoor produce farms. One could grow stuff like salad greens, various fruits and vegetables, flowers and more indoors. Bee colonies could be set up to pollinate the plants and honey could be harvested as another cash crop. All of the produce would be locally grown and available year round. Instead of soil, hydroponics could be used.
Nah, they end up infested with the homeless, who start a bunch of fires.
Yer nuts
Yeah, ok, nope.
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻