Why are malls portrayed as social gathering places?

[BlackWater 53]

I used to go to the mall a lot with family or friends but that was when there were more toy/game/bookstores in there. Most malls I've seen are now 90% clothing stores. Not my cup of tea.

[NavelColt 22,881]

Because the mall is *usually* not only a collection of stores in which provides you and any number of friends with either window shopping or actual shopping (which can distract one for quite some time), but they also sometimes have food courts, or at least vending machines or other stands as well. The University Mall that we have up here in VT is huge, has endless stores, tons of booths, numerous restaurants, a huge food court with everything from Subway to Ben and Jerry's, and even entire sections of mall with comfortable sofas and chairs and tables for you to literally sit down and chat, or do what have you. Not all mall's are like that, but most of them are similar to it, even if they have a little less.

 

This makes malls ideal social gatherings, because there's a lot to do, it's easy to hang out, and a good way to center your plans around.

[Mephala 2,633]

No place else to go in my crappy town.

Plus I am notorious for my mall dances. My most recent was to Smile Smile Smile...good times, good times.

[Chill Mists (Chilly) 801]

I have no idea, I hate malls.

[willinilly 134]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFAT8_5hPWA

[RockinRarity 1,605]

[media=]http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFAT8_5hPWA[/media]

 

Dammit you beat me to it.

[OnTheFence 12]

Malls give me headaches. The only reason I ever go is if I need something specific from a specific store... and then its in-and-out-see-ya-later. Sometimes I do get dragged along by mi esposa, but if possible I avoid malls like the plague. There used to at least be a Borders at the mall close by, but now that it is gone... no refuge for me.

[Swit Swat 536]

This is why

Edited May 14, 2012 by Swit Swat

[Strafe 594]

This is why

 

If only my mall had that. I would actually have incentive to go there other than to hang out.

[Deidre Asada 163]

When I was small I use to go on the weekends to the mall all the time. I mostly go there cause of the arcade machines they had there. I miss those years when ever mall had an arcade.

[Pandy_C 30]

*puts on tinfoil hat*

 

The system (and by that I mean capitalism) only works if people keep buying things.

Young people have a lot of dispoable income (jobs and/or pocket money and no massive costs like rent, water, electric etc)

By using TV, movies music videos, and advertising, large companies persuade you that hanging out in the mall is fun.

In the mall are shops, and when you get hungry you might go but food.

Or even better the advertising might work and you might feel the need to buy some trainers or a DVD.

 

*removes tinfoil hat*

[Viscra Maelstrom 3,718]

it's actually fun going to the mall when you have company or somesuch. i'll be damned if i knew why but it just is. i used to think it was boring walking around in a mall or around stores at places before but now i love it for some reason. maybe because i've found there are actually fun stores to go browse in now, idk.

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

Well, because a mall is a vast place full of all sorts of stores and activities to do. Some malls even have MOVIE THEATERS in them, which makes them more entertaining to hang out in. They're also a good place for meeting people because there's a lot of people surrounding you, which is more comforting and feels safer. Because there's a lot of people in these places, they make good social gathering places. There's also just hanging out and walking around, and browsing the stores with your friends even when you don't have money, making commentary on funny products.

 

I've had several dates with my boyfriend at the mall. We first met there from the internet. Let me tell you: it's also a good place to meet people from the internet if you're concerned about safety. And is fun to hang around. Just walking around and talking in a place that goes on for ages.

 

Also, food courts. Food is absolutely wonderful for social occasions. Malls are full of activity.

[Flow 1,629]

Ahh yes the mall, the mall's a wonderful place and also-...OH MY GOD A FRIGGIN TOY STORE! LET'S GO AND CHECK FOR PONIES!!

[willinilly 134]

[joeyh3 153]

If you're talking about why they're portrayed as gathering places in TV and movies and that - it's quite simple, the people making said TV shows and movies are from a different generation.

 

A lot of the people on this site (myself included) are in their teens and twenties. A lot of people working on TV shows are in their 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. When they were growing up, they didn't have Facebook, cell phones, etc. All they had was seeing either other in person and corded telephones, so it was much more tricky trying to plan things out. Malls were a great solution - just say "meet at the mall at <time>, and we'll figure out what to do from there", a lot of times, if they decided they want to have lunch, watch a movie, or shop, they're already in the right place anyway.

 

So my theory is that malls were a lot more popular as gathering places than instead of now, and when they're portrayed as such in TV shows and movies, it's a reflection of the writer's childhood/teen years.

[Crystal Sparkle 344]

It must be something in the atmosphere, I feel it every time I'm at the mall with my friends. It just makes everything right.

[Pandy_C 30]

It must be something in the atmosphere, I feel it every time I'm at the mall with my friends. It just makes everything right.

 

*tinfoil hat again*

 

That would be the mind control gasses in the air-con

[ScottishUnicorn 284]

I live in the middle of no where, anywhere to hang out would be nice. All I do is be on the computer because there is nothing else to do, everyone else is doing the same or doing drugs.

[Marcusaralius76 150]

We use the mall because most of us get gift cards on holidays from relatives that don't give a crap (most of us have big families). Aside from blowing off the cards, we usually just walk around and chat about things while goofing around. Walking around aimlessly and pretending to think that the glass windows on a restaurant is the door is usually good sport.

[Sommar 1,289]

There are a ton of things to do at malls, so it's ideal for the average teenager. Personally, I go to the mall occasionally just to hang out with friends, but I usually don't buy a whole lot there anymore. I used to go to quite a few clothing stores, but I realized the prices are way too high (That's why I save money by shopping at Goodwill).

[Lightning Bliss 1,674]

I personally love 'mall walking' just because its a large AC area where I can look around at the stores I "like". You have to like stores at the mall in order to enjoy it i feel. Having the convience of a food court and movie theater helps as well. Like I love the clothing stores of Hot Topic, that's my go-to, Geeky store where i can find some MLP merchs and shirts if I'm lucky. Gaming stores are ok but rather pointless since I buy my games on Steam now. The food court I can always get behind but honestly there aren't that many stores I care about. I just like to explore it all, see what else I might find there.

[An Unknown Pony. 370]

Malls are Quite Boring if It Does not have anything people want to buy,I Won't see it as a Social Gathering Place Unless Somebody wants to plan a big party/event there or something.I Usually Go to the mall for Multi-Purposes,such as eat And buy.

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

Some people like to get together with their friends and look at stores and try clothes on. But when they're with their parents, it isn't the same.

[KraznorG 28]

Well, it is in a mall's best interest to attract customers so some marketing genius some time ago must have realized it was best to be amenable to portraying the mall as a place young people go and told Kevin Smith yes, he could shoot Mallrats at the local mall. As you know, Smith's films have basically reforged pop-culture since they debuted in the early 90s and Mallrats was fundamental to all that. So the generation following that film was told malls were cool because that skateboarding guy spent time there with his sarcastic buddies in that movie and thus, malls were misrepresented to a whole generation of people.