Malls are disappearing?

[Celestial Wish 349]

I found this rather interesting article about abandoned malls in the US.

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/completely-surreal-pictures-of-americas-abandoned-malls

 

When I scrolled through the pictures, I was shocked that they reminded me of The Last of Us so strongly, I bet they used some of these photos to design certain parts of the game. (inside malls)

 

Back to the topic at hand... Malls are declining... and not just small, no-town malls. Large malls with over hundreds of stores...

 

I don't know if this will continue on in our current time of financial events, but I certainly hope not. It fascinates me though. The feel you get when looking at these pictures is so... surreal yet disturbing.

 

 

It kinda makes me want to go abandon-mall hunting. XD As if these places are historical landmarks... which I kinda guess they are since they once did serve a purpose on our planet.

 

Another thing that I found interesting was this specific quote, "That all changed in the 1990s. Cloverleaf’s best customers, women, began staying away from the mall, fearful of the youth who were beginning to congregate there. People started seeing kids with huge baggy pants and chains hanging off their belts, and people were intimidated, and they would say there were gangs.”

 

 

^ That right there personally relates to me. (not the mall though)

 

Back in the day, we were all known as skaters.. goths.. punks. We wore trip pants with chains, mostly all black. We did look intimidating but as far as my group of friends go, we were completely harmless. We actually supported the mall by spending tons of money at the arcades due to that place being our hang out spot. We also ate in the food court like NO tomorrow. We were just as much as a customer as the next guy. That seems pretty spiteful..

 

But just out of curiosity, anyone else on here use to be a part of that group?

 

Here's some of the pictures:

 

 

Edited April 27, 2014 by Celestial Wish

[Tholos 145]

Surely these abandoned malls will stand forever as a monument to all of those cliche'd teenager reality shows.

[Celestial Wish 349]

Surely these abandoned malls will stand forever as a monument to all of those cliche'd teenager reality shows.

 

 

LOL, that's what I was thinking while looking at them.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I remember the good old days when a lot of teenagers populated the malls, playing arcade games, shopping, and other things. Maybe those abandoned malls could be in a Last of Us sequel.   Although, I never knew that malls were disappearing.

[Wingnut 6,991]

I hear ya, Celestial.  If malls were an animal, they would get endangered species protection.  I wrote a blog with some of my thoughts on this not too long ago.  I'll post it again here for the sake of discussion. 

 

 

Do you like indoor shopping malls? Me too! But not for shopping or even window shopping. Instead, I enjoy observing them as gathering places. Their place in relation to surrounding residential and commercial development as well as the regional transportation network also intrigues me. For many suburban communities for a very long time, they have served as the defacto Main Street. I should note that the term "indoor" mall includes places like Horton Plaza in San Diego. Most California malls were built without a roof over the common area. But virtually everything else about them is the same as a totally enclosed climate controlled facility.

Like anything else, malls don’t last forever. In fact, so many of them are dead or dying, they should be considered for endangered species protection. The surest way to kill a mall is to build newer, better malls nearby. Demographic change and a decline in a community’s disposable income is also toxic to retail endeavors. And Walmart has built many of their stores close to existing malls in order to siphon off their business. Today developers consider the traditional indoor mall design to be obsolete. With one or two exceptions, they are no longer being built in North America. Instead, outdoor designs are once again the “in” thing for retail construction, even in areas with unfavorable climates. The current trend is the sprawling "town center" style shopping center where you can park outside of the door of your favorite store... almost a throwback to pre-mall days. This article also nicely describes the challenges traditional malls face. http://www.theintern...mall-and-the-re

It wasn’t that long ago that the thought of malls failing seemed inconceivable. But what was once a rare occurrence has become surprisingly common. This is what prompted a couple of shopping mall fans to start a website called Deadmalls.com. http://deadmalls.com/index.html

Another popular website that deals with malls is Labelscar. Unlike Deadmalls, successful malls are featured too. Best of all, readers are able to leave their own comments. One dying mall that is of current interest to me is Shore Mall in Atlantic County, NJ, just a few miles outside of Atlantic City. This is Labelscar's report on Shore Mall. http://www.labelscar...rsey/shore-mall I visited this mall early this year and while it had a low vacancy rate, it was clear the rents were low too. While community oriented non-profits and a model train club are nice things to have, they can't pay enough to support a mall's overhead, mortgage, and property taxes. So the inevitable happened on January 31, 2013 when most of the tenants were ordered to leave so demolition could begin. It is being demolished except for the far end with the Boscov's and Burlington Coat Factory.

But in a sense, Shore Mall is an exception. Most malls, by the time demolition comes, are already more than 50% vacant. Some corners of a dying mall have nothing but closed store fronts and an almost eerie post-apocalyptic feel to it. A perfect example of this is Owings Mills Mall which is in the Baltimore area, in case anybody going to Bronycon is interested. You half expect to see zombies walking around. But I prefer to reflect on the pleasant memories, moments, and lives touched during better times.

 

[CT-1138 3,182]

If they are, then good riddance. Malls have lost my interest since they've lost all their specialty stores and moved more to brand stores. I used to go to the mall to get what I could nowhere else. Now it's just the same stores. Even stores like Spencers and Hot Topic that used to be the epitome of unique have become smut peddlers and generic crap respectively. Malls have done themselves in.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Dinos4Ever

[Celestial Wish 349]

I hear ya, Celestial.  If malls were an animal, they would get endangered species protection.  I wrote a blog with some of my thoughts on this not too long ago.  I'll post it again here for the sake of discussion. 

 

 

Do you like indoor shopping malls? Me too! But not for shopping or even window shopping. Instead, I enjoy observing them as gathering places. Their place in relation to surrounding residential and commercial development as well as the regional transportation network also intrigues me. For many suburban communities for a very long time, they have served as the defacto Main Street. I should note that the term "indoor" mall includes places like Horton Plaza in San Diego. Most California malls were built without a roof over the common area. But virtually everything else about them is the same as a totally enclosed climate controlled facility.

 

Like anything else, malls don’t last forever. In fact, so many of them are dead or dying, they should be considered for endangered species protection. The surest way to kill a mall is to build newer, better malls nearby. Demographic change and a decline in a community’s disposable income is also toxic to retail endeavors. And Walmart has built many of their stores close to existing malls in order to siphon off their business. Today developers consider the traditional indoor mall design to be obsolete. With one or two exceptions, they are no longer being built in North America. Instead, outdoor designs are once again the “in” thing for retail construction, even in areas with unfavorable climates. The current trend is the sprawling "town center" style shopping center where you can park outside of the door of your favorite store... almost a throwback to pre-mall days. This article also nicely describes the challenges traditional malls face. http://www.theintern...mall-and-the-re

 

It wasn’t that long ago that the thought of malls failing seemed inconceivable. But what was once a rare occurrence has become surprisingly common. This is what prompted a couple of shopping mall fans to start a website called Deadmalls.com. http://deadmalls.com/index.html

 

Another popular website that deals with malls is Labelscar. Unlike Deadmalls, successful malls are featured too. Best of all, readers are able to leave their own comments. One dying mall that is of current interest to me is Shore Mall in Atlantic County, NJ, just a few miles outside of Atlantic City. This is Labelscar's report on Shore Mall. http://www.labelscar...rsey/shore-mall I visited this mall early this year and while it had a low vacancy rate, it was clear the rents were low too. While community oriented non-profits and a model train club are nice things to have, they can't pay enough to support a mall's overhead, mortgage, and property taxes. So the inevitable happened on January 31, 2013 when most of the tenants were ordered to leave so demolition could begin. It is being demolished except for the far end with the Boscov's and Burlington Coat Factory.

 

But in a sense, Shore Mall is an exception. Most malls, by the time demolition comes, are already more than 50% vacant. Some corners of a dying mall have nothing but closed store fronts and an almost eerie post-apocalyptic feel to it. A perfect example of this is Owings Mills Mall which is in the Baltimore area, in case anybody going to Bronycon is interested. You half expect to see zombies walking around. But I prefer to reflect on the pleasant memories, moments, and lives touched during better times.

 

 

OH AWESOME! <3 This looks great! *begins to read*

[Scarlet Letter 138]

Those malls will forever make an awesome real-life COD campaign.

[Celestial Wish 349]

If they are, then good riddance. Malls have lost my interest since they've lost all their specialty stores and moved more to brand stores. I used to go to the mall to get what I could nowhere else. Now it's just the same stores. Even stores like Spencers and Hot Topic that used to be the epitome of unique have become smut peddlers and generic crap respectively. Malls have done themselves in.

 

Oh man... remember when Pac-Sun and even Hot Topic had some originality? HOT-TOPIC was the place to find trip pants besides going online and paying $100 or more. XD

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

I'd be a little sad to see malls go away completely.

 

I usually just go to malls for Hot Topic (Pony Merch), Barnes and Noble (Manga), and the food court. Maybe the movie theater if they have one.

 

The Mall of America is starting to suck too. I used to go there all the time, now it's all just a bunch of clothing stores. Lame!

Edited April 27, 2014 by Mikami

[Dattebayo 2,850]

No!

Where will I loiter now?!

[Celestial Wish 349]

I'd be a little sad to see malls go completely.

I usually just go to malls for Hot Topic (Pony Merch), Barnes and Noble (Manga), and the food court. Maybe the movie theater if they have one.

 

The Mall of America is starting to suck too. I used to go there all the time, now it's all just a bunch of clothing stores. Lame!

 

Mall of America.... where is that located? @.@ Why is that familiar.... 

No!

Where will I loiter now?!

 

Back to the drawing board. They're trying to kick out as many arcades and "hang out" areas as they can. :/

Edited April 27, 2014 by Celestial Wish

[AlicornAcolyte 254]

I was never part of any of those groups, sadly. They always seemed like interesting people to me.

 

However, I do like those pictures. I find something hauntingly appealing in abandoned structures and buildings.

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

Mall of America.... where is that located? @.@ Why is that familiar.... 

 

Back to the drawing board. They're trying to kick out as many arcades an "hang out" areas as they can. :/

 

Mall of America is the largest mall in the United States. It's in Minnesota.

 

It's the second largest mall in the world. (The biggest one is in Canada.)

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

Bwahahahaha! Let all the malls perish in flame and decay! Walmart shall be next.

[Celestial Wish 349]

I was never part of any of those groups, sadly. They always seemed like interesting people to me.

 

However, I do like those pictures. I find something hauntingly appealing in abandoned structures and buildings.

 

THAT'S exactly what I mean. Looking at them, I can't help but feel nostalgia and I get chills. 

[Tholos 145]

Mall of America.... where is that located? @.@ Why is that familiar.... 

 

Back to the drawing board. They're trying to kick out as many arcades and "hang out" areas as they can. :/

I've used my detective skills to piece together that it is located in America. 

[Celestial Wish 349]

Bwahahahaha! Let all the malls perish in flame and decay! Walmart shall be next.

 

LOL I'm totally agreeing on the Walmart part. (no offense to anyone who works at walmart) but you can find the craziest people there....

 

Walmart people... ._.

I've used my detective skills to piece together that it is located in America. 

 

 

Tholos..  I love you. XD omg that made me laugh hard

[Inactive01 5,299]

This actually is pretty common in China due to a lack of demand at the "ghost" cities they build the malls in.

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

This actually is pretty common in China due to a lack of demand at the "ghost" cities they build the malls in.

 

I remember reading about that.

[CT-1138 3,182]

Mall of America.... where is that located? @.@ Why is that familiar....

 

 

Back to the drawing board. They're trying to kick out as many arcades an "hang out" areas as they can. :/

Minnesota, I believe. Though there's plans of building one even bigger in my home town. Doubtful it'll ever happen, though.

 

Also, I notice a lot of arcades and the general hangouts that my friends and I used to frequent as kids have disappeared. It's sad, really. I blame a mixture of the economy and the stranger danger campaign turning parents into heliparents who micromanage their children so they can never be out of sight. I remember all the shenanigans I used to get into as a kid, but my littld cousin's never experience that because their parents hover over them like hawks.

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Man, Those would make some god tier airsoft fields.

 

Brb calling the local field owner and seeing if he wants to expand his business.

 

But like everything, even malls fall to the decay of time and march of progress. No longer is the real world the hangout and loiter place for teens, but the internet has by large replaced it.

This actually is pretty common in China due to a lack of demand at the "ghost" cities they build the malls in.

Just imagine the amazing paintball or airsoft fields you could make form just one of those ghost cities. Man..

[Celestial Wish 349]

Minnesota, I believe. Though there's plans of building one even bigger in my home town. Doubtful it'll ever happen, though.

 

Also, I notice a lot of arcades and the general hangouts that my friends and I used to frequent as kids have disappeared. It's sad, really. I blame a mixture of the economy and the stranger danger campaign turning parents into heliparents who micromanage their children so they can never be out of sight. I remember all the shenanigans I used to get into as a kid, but my littld cousin's never experience that because their parents hover over them like hawks.

 

With me personally knowing from being "one of those questionable youths with baggy clothing" they completely over-exaggerated.

 

Yes there were some punks who just were absolute rebels and all they did was disturb the peace by trying to jump off railings from the second floor, scare old folks into heart attacks. Graffiti the walls with obscene language or pictures.

 

But MY gang, we actually defended the mall from that non-sense. There was a time that there was a full blown war between two groups of us because one was just scaring off mall patrons, and we were getting angry at them for security blaming us. (sounds completely superficial and came straight of an anime, LOL) but that was the honest truth. 

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

 

China

 

 

America

 

.....Coincidence?

[Celestial Wish 349]

 

China

 

 

America

 

.....Coincidence?

 

WHY DOES THAT LOOK SO COOL?!