What do you think?

Not if all the malls keep disappearing.

Who knows? Maybe mall nostalgia will revive the mall concept.

Let me ask another question. Will horses and buggies make a comeback? Will iceboxes make a comeback? How about pay phones or land lines in general? Then why would malls? Despite what a handful of people think here about "cycles" and "nostalgia" and "things coming back", history has shown that once something passes out of mainstream usage it doesn't come back. When something is on as downward a trajectory to obsolescence as malls, that doesn't turn around. People's behavior has changed. Mind you, there will always be some degree of brick and mortar shopping, obviously, though online shopping dealt the death blow to malls. . But if you are talking about that teenage hanging out at malls culture of yore, forget it. People today, and specifically that demographic, stare at their phone the entire day long. When they are with friends, or even on dates, they stare at their phones. Only nudging their friend or companion to show them something on said phone. Can you imagine a huge brick and mortar edifice like a mall populated with people at benches and tables engaging in this type of behavior? I daresay it would be quite the creepy place. No vibrancy whatsoever.

Let me ask another question. Will horses and buggies make a comeback? Will iceboxes make a comeback? How about pay phones or land lines in general?


Sometimes I wish I'd been born 30 or 40 years earlier so I could have been a milkman. I think I really would have enjoyed that job.

Who knows? Maybe mall nostalgia will revive the mall concept.


Sure won't. "Nostalgia" is not enough to sustain huge, multi million dollar brick and mortar edifices like malls and all the establishments, stores, restaurants, etc within. Simply not financially feasible. Besides, how many people are caught up in this "nostalgia" when it comes? Enough to fill and financially maintain huge malls on an ongoing basis? Is it the entire of the mainstream culture that gets caught up in it, or just a portion? Without the entire mainstream, or a big chunk of it at least, malls won't come back to their former glory.

The look of the suburban Chicagoland malls around me has been pretty sad.  The smallish mall closest to me (within 2 miles) which was a happy place to shop just 10 years ago, today all but 2 of the "anchor" stores (they'd had 7) closed in the mall, and a majority of the smaller stores within followed suit.  It got really sad looking.  Other than a few new "game" type establishments and occasionally the theater plus the remaining anchors, not many places had foot traffic.

The mall owners decided on something bold - they knocked down the old closed Macy's and part of its wing.  In its place they erected a new, giant-sized grocery monstrosity, Woodman's grocery (it wasn't the first Woodman's but perhaps the first in our area).  Woodman's took a couple months to catch on but now they seem to be doing great business and bringing a lot of customers to the mall.  (Incidentally, I like Woodman's in all its hugeness.)  Maybe shifts like this will become the new mall paradigm?

Can you imagine a huge brick and mortar edifice like a mall populated with people at benches and tables engaging in this type of behavior? I daresay it would be quite the creepy place. No vibrancy whatsoever.


You just described O’Hare Airport.  ;D

You just described O’Hare Airport.  ;D


There you go. Can you imagine a mall being like that? There's no reason for it to exist under those circumstances. An airport has another reason for existing.

There you go. Can you imagine a mall being like that? There's no reason for it to exist under those circumstances. An airport has another reason for existing.


Which is another reason why the long-awaited deployment of flying cars will be so cool.  8)

As someone living in Asia, malls are still huge here, with new, hyped up malls still opening up all the time. It's a bit hard to believe how they've declined back home in the US, but it was very clear when going back to visit.

Mall culture will live on in Asia, but they're not coming back in North America any time soon.

As someone living in Asia, malls are still huge here, with new, hyped up malls still opening up all the time. It's a bit hard to believe how they've declined back home in the US, but it was very clear when going back to visit.

Mall culture will live on in Asia, but they're not coming back in North America any time soon.


Very cool to hear the Asian perspective. What do you think the difference is of why malls are still thriving there?

Here in Germany malls also still exist and seem to go strong (at least when they are in larger cities). There is one just 20 miles away that is usually full of people when I go there. However I'm not there often as they don't offer anything I couldn't get elsewhere without driving 20 miles.
If we have a "mall rat" culture is something that beats me though. No idea. Never heard of it if it exists. When I was that age there wasn't a mall near where I live so I certainly didn't experience it.

What do you think?


I really don't think so, Mall Culture was a thing back In The 1980's.

Sometimes I wish I'd been born 30 or 40 years earlier so I could have been a milkman. I think I really would have enjoyed that job.


How much was the pay back then?

Here In New York malls are still going strong just like The Queens Center Mall they are always building some new store(s) in order to attract more new customers.

I really don't think so, Mall Culture was a thing back In The 1980's.

Even in the 2000s.

Even in the 2000s.

I'd rather do most of my shopping online. (except for grocery shopping)

I'd rather do most of my shopping online. (except for grocery shopping)

I prefer going to the store. It's much quicker. If you order online it takes a while to ship.

What do you think?

Lets hope so buddy!!

I prefer going to the store. It's much quicker. If you order online it takes a while to ship.


My Father And I don't mind, at least I'm not around people.

I prefer going to the store. It's much quicker. If you order online it takes a while to ship.


You are correct in theory, of course, but more and more I find that items I want cannot even be found in stores any longer. Or at least as not with the variety of choice that one can find online. And things like bookstores have become SO rare that one is almost forced to purchase online. I predate mall culture, and in those days, especially in urban areas like the ones I have lived in, people went "downtown" or "in town" to major department stores and other smaller specialty stores to find absolutely anything they wanted. Major cities always had a downtown shopping district. After shopping one would often go to a restaurant or cafe. It was all part of the "downtown" experience. While not completely eradicated, this is very much a vanishing Americana.

You are correct in theory, of course, but more and more I find that items I want cannot even be found in stores any longer. Or at least as not with the variety of choice that one can find online. And things like bookstores have become SO rare that one is almost forced to purchase online. I predate mall culture, and in those days, especially in urban areas like the ones I have lived in, people went "downtown" or "in town" to major department stores and other smaller specialty stores to find absolutely anything they wanted. Major cities always had a downtown shopping district. After shopping one would often go to a restaurant or cafe. It was all part of the "downtown" experience. While not completely eradicated, this is very much a vanishing Americana.

That's unfortunate. I wish they had more things available in the stores.

I was in my local shopping mall last Sunday, and it was busy with people. I was there in order purchase new speakers for my computer. I went to one leading electrical retailer and the store had none, and was told to buy online or try a leading high-end department store nearby. I went there and was shown the only set of speakers they had (no good!) and was told to try at the store I was first in. So I am still speakerless, and my son will get me some online.

I was in my local shopping mall last Sunday, and it was busy with people. I was there in order purchase new speakers for my computer. I went to one leading electrical retailer and the store had none, and was told to buy online or try a leading high-end department store nearby. I went there and was shown the only set of speakers they had (no good!) and was told to try at the store I was first in. So I am still speakerless, and my son will get me some online.


That's another odd thing about today's malls or brick-and-mortar stores in general. They often don't have things in stock but can "order" them for you. In the pre-internet days that was a great service. Today we can do it ourselves much quicker than they can.

Another encounter with a different store that sells everything online and is named after a river, I found out you must have an account in order to purchase anything from them!

That's another odd thing about today's malls or brick-and-mortar stores in general. They often don't have things in stock but can "order" them for you. In the pre-internet days that was a great service. Today we can do it ourselves much quicker than they can.

Back in the day they had more stock though so it was better. Just walk 5 minutes to the store and grab what you need. Unfortunately today you can only some stock online.

That's another odd thing about today's malls or brick-and-mortar stores in general. They often don't have things in stock but can "order" them for you. In the pre-internet days that was a great service. Today we can do it ourselves much quicker than they can.


Back in the days when they ordered it for you, it took a long time but in today's technology you can order things and it can come much quicker.

Very cool to hear the Asian perspective. What do you think the difference is of why malls are still thriving there?


I do think density makes a difference. Asian cities are just much more dense than other cities. A lot of chain stores that would be in strip malls in the US get put in malls and department stores here.

Also, even though online ordering is huge right now, there is at the same time still an appreciation for the physical experience of going out to go shopping, window shopping, or just to relax. People here kind of like being in crowds and feeding off of that energy.

i dont know about you but where i live there is a mall every block.....

My local mall was busy as anything last Sunday!

Maybe people should start doing virtual mall tours instead.