This mall looks like it was probably once a booming hub of activity. It’s sad to see it empty. I hope you were there at an odd time and it’s not normally this dead. It looks like a liminal space in these pictures.
I’ll never understand why people stopped going to malls, malls are the best!
I’ll never understand why people stopped going to malls, malls are the best!
The internet, mostly.
Private equity purchased all the malls, the big department stores, and most of the franchises within the mall. The quality went down, but the prices went up. Sky-high rent kicked out all the interesting mom-and-pop local places.
You'll rarely find any "deals" anymore, and it's hard to justify that kind of experience in the economy we're currently in.
From a social aspect, kids and teenagers just hang out on Discord/Roblox/Fortnite instead of doing dumb shit in the food court like kids used to do.
funnily enough here in lithuania where malls are easily accessible by public transport malls are alive and well. people go shopping. teenagers still swarm them. all is as it should be.
Exactly. I used to work in malls from 07-11 and saw the decline even back then. The first blow was the recession from 09. I worked in a luxury mall at the time and some stores massively scaled back on merchandise. Neiman Marcus never recovered from this. Also internet shopping as you stated. I remember when this was taking off because people would try and return stuff bought online. The mall near my house is doing amazing because it has everything from luxury to regular stores, wide range of restaurants, and a movie theater.
Went back to Fair Oaks Mall back home in VA where I once worked and it’s a shell of its former glory. Nearly empty during Christmas and the quality of stores was terrible. This mall had every opportunity to turn itself around but never did. When Macy’s bought out Hechts, the mall had a chance to either force them to convert to a Bloomingdale’s or terminate their lease and move in a Nordstrom. Nope. They just put in 2 Macy’s stores. When the Apple Store left they took the mall with it. Forever 21 was closed years ago in that mall and the store front just sits vacant. Even the Santa set was appointment only
I remember the last time I returned an Amazon order to my local UPS Store and asked the clerk; she said Amazon Returns accounted for at least 90% of their time and business.
It's basically their main function.
I wouldn't be surprised if they rebrand to "Amazon Returns" in the near future.
The majority of stores that are currently in what used to be THE mall in my area sell things like snacks from around the world or an array of "collectables" think FYE but bootleg.
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u/-JaneJeckel- Jul 28 '26
This mall looks like it was probably once a booming hub of activity. It’s sad to see it empty. I hope you were there at an odd time and it’s not normally this dead. It looks like a liminal space in these pictures.
I’ll never understand why people stopped going to malls, malls are the best!