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07-22-2019 02:39 PM
My local mall, Harford Mall in Bel Air, MD is still thriving despite the loss of some stores. Sears and Macy's are still there. I think the location - smack dab in the middle of tons of housing developments and on a very busy road, definitely helps, along with the next nearest malls being 30 miles away and local public transit stops there all day. It also caters to office employees who can go there for lunch because it has several outside restaraunts where you don't have to enter the mall to get in. I enjoy shopping in malls and stores but I don't have a car so the bulk of my purchases are online.
07-22-2019 02:44 PM
When I was a teenager back in the 1980's, my favorite thing to do on a Saturday was to cruise my local mall.
Yes, I was a mall rat.
I can still hear my teenaged self say, "Dad, can you drive me to the mall?"
I would drift in and out of all of the stores, peruse the merchandise, sometimes buy small trinkets or whatnot, and generally, just people watch.
It was a great way to spend a few hours.
When I was done, I would find a pay phone (remember, this was before cell phones) call my dad to come pick me up.
They have since tore down the mall that I spent so many Saturdays at, and that makes me sad.
That was a part of my history, my formative years.
But, as they say, the only constant, is change.
It also makes me sad that todays teens will never know how much fun it was to spend a day just hanging out at the local mall.
07-22-2019 03:42 PM
@ROMARY wrote:I've been hearing, more and more, about the overall trend of adding apartments and condos above stores in shopping mall space.
'Sort of'/Slightly similar (but not the same) to the 'mom and pop' stores underneath an attached apartment/flat.
In those days, mom could run the store and take care of the baby/young child/children while pop went out to work in another field.
Actually, it did make a lot of sense........two incomes while paying the mortgage, saving money (no childcare expenses), and working all at the same time.
But, of course, the stores are usually chains, and probably, if they are private stores/businesses, I'm only guessing that babies/children wouldn't be allowed (?)
'Anyway', it might be nice to be able to live above the stores and work 'downstairs', ( if financially feasible) for a couple and/or family. No commuting, etc.
Although, it would be a major renovation and inconvenience, (with all of the machinery, construction, etc.) for a community/neighborhood.
Something that would require a lot of patience.
This is going in around the corner and onr block away from my residential neighbor. Takes a long time. It was a big empty lot. We all fought it for a few years, but lost.
I grew up during the mom/pop stores. My grandma would give me 10cents for 5lbs. Of potatoes. I found a 1.00 bill once and brought candy for all my friends. Came away with two bags full of candy bars. I lived in San Francisco. Those were the days. Glad I grew up in that era.
07-22-2019 08:25 PM - edited 07-22-2019 08:27 PM
We had a beautiful mall not far from us...every upscale store you can think of...one reason we bought our home here...so convenient to shopping, restaurants, etc. The mall had an ice rink, Newman Marcus, etc; torn down several years ago to make way for “upscale” apts and a huge “tech corridor for innovation”....what we got was a big Walmart, a Borders (now defunct) Toys R Us ( now closed) and a KFC. Isn’t progress wonderful?
07-22-2019 09:27 PM
07-22-2019 10:19 PM
I use a mall across the lake from Seattle and it always seems to be fairly busy. Hopefully it will stay that way because it is very convenient for me. I do shop on-line but most of the stores I shop at have stores at the mall so returns are free.
07-22-2019 11:10 PM
@DiAnne wrote:I use a mall across the lake from Seattle and it always seems to be fairly busy. Hopefully it will stay that way because it is very convenient for me. I do shop on-line but most of the stores I shop at have stores at the mall so returns are free.
Me, too 😊. It basically has every store I could ever want.
07-22-2019 11:14 PM
@RainCityWoman wrote:
@SeaMaiden wrote:I have not been to a mall in over 20 years. Why would I when I can click and ship?
I agree partially because driving around trying to locate what you're looking for is a pain. All you have to do is an online search and there it is. However, I am a hands on shopper for a lot of things, so I appreciate the brick and mortar stores as well. I also like the concept of shopping online and then picking the item up at the store without paying shipping or handling. Pier 1 is a place I do that with. It's very convenient. I also prefer to try on clothes and shoes before I buy them. I see nothing wrong with apartments or condos above the establishments, but then don't run the establishments out of the mall. I would think it would be advantageous to both residents and stores to have them all in the same complex.
I haven't heard anything about Westfield Mall at SouthCenter. They seem to be busy any time I've been there. It's tricky finding parking because it's so full. I haven't been up to Alderwood in over a year, so I don't know what their fate is either. I love shopping in downtown Seattle, but let's face it, there is no free parking there, unlike the malls.
Alderwood seems to be doing fine when I head north occasionally. There is an American Girl store there that my g-daughter likes🙂
07-23-2019 10:26 AM
I am all in favor of up scaling these dingy malls--never went to Northgate but a few times in my 63 years--was too far away from my West Seattle home. But it looks nice and would love to live close by to shop at brick and mortar stores agan. this is modern and the wave of the future, I don't regret of sigh about change , bring it on!!!
07-23-2019 10:43 AM
I think of our biggest mall and rarely go there. The clothing stores are not for my size or age. I do not need Knick knacks for my home. Nordstrom leaves in 2 months. I suspect Penney’s will soon follow. Nothing for me there.
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