Community Chat

[lovesrecess]

We have only one now in our entire area that has managed to stay busy and popular. Every store is high-end and that keeps the throngs of roaming teens away, which is a mall-killer. One other mall not far from us is a huge one that is more of a tourist attraction so I stay clear of it as much as I can. Almost all stores closed during the lockdown in March unless they had an outside entrance, which was only a few. The restaurants there remain pickup only.
Our other malls have closed down and have given way to strip malls, if anything. We had a beautiful mall a mile from us when we moved here. Neiman Marcus was the anchor store. It had an ice skating rink and every store you can think of. Now it is a super Walmart and a few low-end junky places I don’t frequent. I think what malls were already closing, the pandemic finished off.

[Grade1Teach]

I grew up (and still live) on Long Island.  I live on the east end now, but Roosevelt Field was my go-to for my entire life until I got married and moved to where I am now.  Our parents still live over there, but they don't shop there anymore.  It has become too big, too loud, too commercial, and too busy.  People come from all over Long Island and Queens just to go to that mall.  It was always a busy place, but it's out of control now.  It's very difficult for residents to drive in that area during the holidays. There is a tremendous amount of traffic and congestion.  My parents still complain over it.  I'm glad I don't have to deal with it anymore.

I think malls are still relevant because they have always been a place where teens would go and hang out with their friends.  I don't know how much revenue they bring to the stores, but malls have always been the best hangouts.  Before I could drive, my parents would drop me off there so I could meet up with my friends.  We would spend a little money, have lunch in the food court, and hang out.  There used to be a great movie theatre attached to that mall as well, but I think it recently closed. 

I am now 41 years old and I really don't have any use for the mall anymore.  We have a smaller mall near my house that we go to on occasion.  They have a few stores and restaurants that we like.  We never go to just "hang out" though.  We always have an agenda.

[ninjawife]

My family was in the steel business and their company built our local mall in the late 1970s.  I was in 6th grade and was bused into the city for school.  My dad would drive my neighbor and I to school and stop by the mall to check on the progress.  A few stores were already open and one was a doughnut shop.  He would get us doughnuts for breakfast to eat on the way to school.

[Foxxee]

Two built in 1960 still going strong, except one might be iffy since Macy's left a few months ago.  No tenant I know of is interested in that space yet.  

[proudlyfromNJ]

The one we used to go to in the early seventies was built in the late 1950's and was an outdoor mall. They did enclose it and it is one of the largest malls in the area.

[traveler]

We just had an old enclosed mall close permanently.  Burlington Coat has its own outdoor entrance so it is still open.

[goldensrbest]

My husband worked in one for many years,  they were nice back then, we still have it,i just do not go because it makes me sad,not seeing him there.I use to do most of the christmas shopping there,when my boys were teens,even my late son worked there,we would meet for lunch,i really miss those times.

[ScrapHappy]

The mall is still open for business where I grew up in NJ.  It was Bamberger's before it was Macy's.  It's from the 70's.  

[beckyb1012]

Ours built and opened in 1975, so not as old as some.  JCP and Dillards are still the flagships they were in the beginning.  Sadly back at the end of 2019 Sears was completely demolished for more parking area and a few smaller stores inside. 

[wilma]

We have 2 large indoor malls in my city. The first one was built in 1962. Tennants have come & gone, but both are still open with most store spaces filled. Both malls are on the same road a few miles apart. That road is horribly congested during peak shopping days. They have to use traffic cops to get people in and out of the parking lots in an orderly manner. 

ETA: There is a third indoor mall in a totally different part of the city that is struggling. It lost its anchor stores. The last time I was there, there were lots of vacant store spaces.