Fashion

[truffle]

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@Qshopper1991 wrote:

@Carmie

Same here.  Wall to wall teens.  Fights happen sometimes because of so many kids hanging out in there.  I live 10 minutes from a major mall.  I can count on my left hand how many times I've gone into it.  During Christmas, I only shop online; I don't step one foot into a mall. 

I'm just glad my daughter has a job (works at a pizza place) and no longer asks to be dropped off at the mall.  It just seems like public places like this are so vulnerable to the crazies with guns.  Scary stuff today.  I'd be sooo happy if ours closed.  It causes a lot of traffic, especially around the holidays.

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Yes, teens would logically make up the biggest demographic as they don't usually have internet access.  Now, if they're just hanging out and not buying then that would be a problem.  

Malls in resort areas would have more foot traffic by people with money to spend. 

[ValuSkr]

High-end malls are doing well.  So are outlet malls.  But run-of-the-mill malls are taking on water, sinking fast -- for all the reasons noted.

[Gram W]

I seldom shop our local mall.  We do have small Sears, Target, BonTon and Old Navy.  Food court and many stores with no outside entrance.  Large theatre area.  We have 2 colleges and a community college 15 miles away.   Even downtown everything is geared to the colleges, students and larger incomes.  I can drive there in 30 minutes because of ridiculous traffic patterns thru town or I can drive 45 minutes to a smaller town on an interstate highway that has a large mall and several strip malls all together.  It would be hard not to find what you want in that small area.  The prices in the same brand stores are cheaper than locally.  The shopping experience is totally different and more relaxing.   I am retired so gift shopping for my growing family is budgeted.  I shop on line and 3 or 4 times a year I drive to the distant mall.  I am no longer having to shop at the last minute and rush between jobs.  I can plan, watch sales, gather ideas and look for that special thing they will not buy themselves.  They all concentrate on their families and not themselves.  Because of the college students are mall will remain but they have inside empty spaces and we keep losing stores that the average family shops in.  Food court is busy because it is by the theatre and young people crowd the area.

[Stormygirl]

Is really a shame as with the closings of Malls many jobs are also lost. Last time I went to our local Mall many of the nice stores are closed and being replaced by cheap trendy places for young folks. With each closing Mall there are literally hundreds of jobs lost. Makes me glad I dont have any kids as not everyone can be a Doctor, Scientist etc and those entry level/summer/seasonal jobs are dissapearing. Very sad. Where are the unskilled to work I wonder.

[Trinity11]

We have some beautiful malls near us and I definitely frequent them when I can.

I love walking through them in an enclosed space ...it gives me a little bit of exercise. After I had a heart attack I could only walk half way through but now I can run up the stairs and walk its entirety. It gave me a lot of incentive to get out again and move.

Shopping for clothing and home goods I most enjoy when I can touch them and see them up close and personal. Jewelry I never particularly enjoy shopping for on line ....especially if it is expensive. Returning it would be a real pain if I didn't like it.

So there are still some dinosaurs out there who love shopping at the mall and I am one of them....

[Peaches McPhee]

I must live in a mall-friendly area (metro Rochester NY).  We have 3 thriving malls (at least they appear to thrive).  All have the main stores: Penny's, Sears, Macy's, plus plenty of smaller stores: Bath/Body, jewelry stores, Yankee Candle, etc.  Two even have play areas for little kids.

[ValuSkr]

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@Peaches McPhee wrote:

I must live in a mall-friendly area (metro Rochester NY).  We have 3 thriving malls (at least they appear to thrive).  All have the main stores: Penny's, Sears, Macy's, plus plenty of smaller stores: Bath/Body, jewelry stores, Yankee Candle, etc.  Two even have play areas for little kids.

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Did you hear that Marketplace Mall will convert to an outlet center?  Its owner, Wilmorite, announced it this summer.  My impression is that Marketplace was doing well as a regular mall, but its owner wanted to stay ahead of the curve by converting to the popular outlet format.  My Rochester relatives will no longer need to travel to Waterloo Premium Outlets!

[SahmIam]

Within an hours drive, I have some fantastic malls that offer the ability to shop at stores that supply gorgeous catalogs as well. One mall (in Chevy Chase, MD) has Neiman Marcus as it's only anchor store; everything else are small one of a kind shops that are PACKED from now until after Valentines Day. Yes, high end malls are very different from the ones I've seen close and then be torn down (3 of the ones I grew up with are gone).

My local mall has Sears and Pennys as well as Nordstrom... always busy . We'll see what happens with Sears.

[151949]

I still enjoy going to the malls but what I notice when I'm there is that there are a lot of people there but not many are carrying any bags. They go to the foodcourt or Starbucks and sit with their friends socializing.Or at our mall there are a lot of young Moms who bring their toddlers to play in the play area then the Mom's sit and talk.Like going to a park only it's inside in the AC.

[songbird]

Rarely go to the mall.  I shop for clothes a lot....all online.  And from stores that are not so familiar to you.  Shopbob, Zara, Topshop, Madewell.  Net-A-porter, Moda Operendi, French Connection, etc.  From mall stores I buy online from Nordstrom (but rarely go the mall stores)  I no longer buy from Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, the Loft.