The Decline of Shopping Malls

[noelbotevera]

Shopping malls still have their pizzazz in the 21st century. Where I live, a shopping mall is not only a place to shop, but a place for social interaction. Make new friends, tell good jokes, or have bad laughs. Do I get that in Amazon?

[jakeroot]

Shopping malls still have their pizzazz in the 21st century. Where I live, a shopping mall is not only a place to shop, but a place for social interaction. Make new friends, tell good jokes, or have bad laughs. Do I get that in Amazon?

I get that on Facebook, for the most part.

[kkt]

Shopping malls still have their pizzazz in the 21st century. Where I live, a shopping mall is not only a place to shop, but a place for social interaction. Make new friends, tell good jokes, or have bad laughs. Do I get that in Amazon?

I definitely do NOT get that at a mall.  A mall is just a place to buy stuff that I need that for whatever reason I'm prepared to pay extra high markups on.

[Rothman]

Shopping malls still have their pizzazz in the 21st century. Where I live, a shopping mall is not only a place to shop, but a place for social interaction. Make new friends, tell good jokes, or have bad laughs. Do I get that in Amazon?

I definitely do NOT get that at a mall.  A mall is just a place to buy stuff that I need that for whatever reason I'm prepared to pay extra high markups on.

^This.  If your idea of social interaction is small talk with the cashier, so be it, I suppose.

[Takumi]

When I was in my teens and early 20s, I'd hang out at the mall with different people. Some I knew from school, some I met there. We typically would hang around the arcade and food court areas and occasionally other places. I wasted a good bit of money there between when I graduated high school and when I started college.

[mgk920]

What's the current prognosis of Sears and JCPenney?  I've heard that JCPenney has stabilized over the past year, but what about Sears?

Mike

[Brandon]

What's the current prognosis of Sears and JCPenney?  I've heard that JCPenney has stabilized over the past year, but what about Sears?

Mike

Penney's cuts stores that aren't doing well, like any other healthy retailer.  Sears (and Kmart) on the other hand are not doing well, and could be considered to be swirling in the bottom of the toilet.

[thenetwork]

What's the current prognosis of Sears and JCPenney?  I've heard that JCPenney has stabilized over the past year, but what about Sears?

Mike

Penney's cuts stores that aren't doing well, like any other healthy retailer.  Sears (and Kmart) on the other hand are not doing well, and could be considered to be swirling in the bottom of the toilet.

It's just a matter of time for Sears and Kmart.  When the stores look like they haven't been remodeled since the 80s, that's not a good sign.

In our town, with two 24-hour Walmarts and a Target with extended hours, we have a Kmart that closes at 7PM, if not sooner, on Sundays.  They have already thrown in a towel.

They also opened up a Sears Outlet last year in a town with a floundering Sears.  I thought "Sears Outlet" was Kmart!! 

[cl94]

What's the current prognosis of Sears and JCPenney?  I've heard that JCPenney has stabilized over the past year, but what about Sears?

Mike

Penney's cuts stores that aren't doing well, like any other healthy retailer.  Sears (and Kmart) on the other hand are not doing well, and could be considered to be swirling in the bottom of the toilet.

It's just a matter of time for Sears and Kmart.  When the stores look like they haven't been remodeled since the 80s, that's not a good sign.

In our town, with two 24-hour Walmarts and a Target with extended hours, we have a Kmart that closes at 7PM, if not sooner, on Sundays.  They have already thrown in a towel.

They also opened up a Sears Outlet last year in a town with a floundering Sears.  I thought "Sears Outlet" was Kmart!! 

The last northeast Super Kmart was converted to a regular store a couple of years ago. Living 5 minutes from it, we did a decent amount of shopping there. I think the company should just cut their losses, close the remaining Kmarts, and focus efforts on updating Sears locations.

[Rothman]

The Kmart in Colonie, NY along Central Ave was totally razed some months ago, just leaving the concrete slab it stood on.

[wolfiefrick]

The Crestwood Mall in Crestwood, MO on Watson Rd/MO-366 was closed and abandoned back in 2009, leaving the movie theater open, which also ended up being closed a few years later.

[Rothman]

I think the company should just cut their losses, close the remaining Kmarts, and focus efforts on updating Sears locations.

That's actually a great idea.

[Rothman]

This thread has me thinking of the Hampshire and Mountain Farms Malls which are practically side-by-side in Hadley, MA.  When I was a kid, the Hampshire Mall was the vibrant one and the Mountain Farms Mall simply died (especially when the Almys store closed in the mid-1980s). 

There was an abortive attempt to fill the dead mall with a few small businesses, including a pool hall (wonder if it's still there), in the 1990s. 

Then, Walmart came into the place and Whole Foods replaced the "Bread & Circus" (hippie food supermarket started partially by people who owned a co-op in nearby Amherst) and now one could argue that the Mountain Farms Mall is economically stronger than the Hampshire Mall.

Times they are a-changin'.

[cl94]

The Kmart in Colonie, NY along Central Ave was totally razed some months ago, just leaving the concrete slab it stood on.

All of the ones in the Capital District have closed except for Schenectady, Queensbury, and Greenwich. Most of the locations are still vacant. I don't expect Queensbury to be open much longer with the Walmart that opened kitty-corner from it.

[froggie]

Burlington, VT's KMart closed a couple months ago.

But, curiously, the small Sears we have in St. Johnsbury, VT expanded a couple years ago.

[cl94]

But, curiously, the small Sears we have in St. Johnsbury, VT expanded a couple years ago.

That's unexpected. The Sears closest to me downsized, with much of the first floor becoming a Whole Foods.

[Pete from Boston]

This thread has me thinking of the Hampshire and Mountain Farms Malls which are practically side-by-side in Hadley, MA.  When I was a kid, the Hampshire Mall was the vibrant one and the Mountain Farms Mall simply died (especially when the Almys store closed in the mid-1980s). 

There was an abortive attempt to fill the dead mall with a few small businesses, including a pool hall (wonder if it's still there), in the 1990s. 

Then, Walmart came into the place and Whole Foods replaced the "Bread & Circus" (hippie food supermarket started partially by people who owned a co-op in nearby Amherst) and now one could argue that the Mountain Farms Mall is economically stronger than the Hampshire Mall.

Times they are a-changin'.

At a certain point, that mall contained only a movie theater and Dave's Soda and Pet Food City, and possibly the pool hall you mentioned.  I also have a vague recollection of some delivery food place operating out of there.  Almost all of the mall stores were empty.

A membership warehouse club of some kind opened in there for a while, then closed. A flea market also occupied a large empty space there for some time.

My memory of this may be fuzzy, but I thought Bread & Circus always existed in a stand-alone store a little bit east of the Hampshire Mall.  The Bread & Circus chain operated for a long time under that name after being bought out by Whole Foods, probably back in the early 90s.  I think it was 2003 that the names were all unified as Whole Foods.

But, curiously, the small Sears we have in St. Johnsbury, VT expanded a couple years ago.

That's unexpected. The Sears closest to me downsized, with much of the first floor becoming a Whole Foods.

The Burlington, Massachusetts, Sears did this, cramming all of a large two-floor store into one very cramped first floor. The second floor has not yet been occupied. I am not certain, but I think the same thing happened at the North Shore Mall in Saugus.

It's a shame, because for me it was the last Sears around here that felt well kept and orderly.

[Rothman]

My memory of this may be fuzzy, but I thought Bread & Circus always existed in a stand-alone store a little bit east of the Hampshire Mall.  The Bread & Circus chain operated for a long time under that name after being bought out by Whole Foods, probably back in the early 90s.  I think it was 2003 that the names were all unified as Whole Foods.

Nah, I remember when Bread & Circus opened, since the co-op, which was in downtown Amherst on Kellogg Ave near Boltwood Walk, closed down as the owners or management got in on it.  A bunch of us kids were like, "What the freak is that place they tacked onto the dead mall?" 

There's never been much east of the Hampshire Mall except for the HoJo's.

I still have my Dave's Soda and Pet Food City card.

[Pete from Boston]

My memory of this may be fuzzy, but I thought Bread & Circus always existed in a stand-alone store a little bit east of the Hampshire Mall.  The Bread & Circus chain operated for a long time under that name after being bought out by Whole Foods, probably back in the early 90s.  I think it was 2003 that the names were all unified as Whole Foods.

Nah, I remember when Bread & Circus opened, since the co-op, which was in downtown Amherst on Kellogg Ave near Boltwood Walk, closed down as the owners or management got in on it.  A bunch of us kids were like, "What the freak is that place they tacked onto the dead mall?" 

There's never been much east of the Hampshire Mall except for the HoJo's.

I still have my Dave's Soda and Pet Food City card.

I'll take your word for it.  I felt like it was over by the Staples, but I never went to Bread & Circus much. 

Dave's is still around, either still in the Mountain Farms Mall or returned to it.

[PHLBOS]

The Burlington, Massachusetts, Sears did this, cramming all of a large two-floor store into one very cramped first floor. The second floor has not yet been occupied. I am not certain, but I think the same thing happened at the North Shore Mall in Saugus.

The North Shore Mall is in Peabody (to my knowledge, that Sears is still there and hasn't changed).  If you're referring to the Sears in Saugus (along US 1); that one's at the Square One Mall.

[Pete from Boston]

The Burlington, Massachusetts, Sears did this, cramming all of a large two-floor store into one very cramped first floor. The second floor has not yet been occupied. I am not certain, but I think the same thing happened at the North Shore Mall in Saugus.

The North Shore Mall is in Peabody (to my knowledge, that Sears is still there and hasn't changed).  If you're referring to the Sears in Saugus (along US 1); that one's at the Square One Mall.

Yes, you are correct.  I meant the Square One Mall (where one has the choice of an unsatisfactory experience at either Kmart or Sears).

[Rothman]

My memory of this may be fuzzy, but I thought Bread & Circus always existed in a stand-alone store a little bit east of the Hampshire Mall.  The Bread & Circus chain operated for a long time under that name after being bought out by Whole Foods, probably back in the early 90s.  I think it was 2003 that the names were all unified as Whole Foods.

Nah, I remember when Bread & Circus opened, since the co-op, which was in downtown Amherst on Kellogg Ave near Boltwood Walk, closed down as the owners or management got in on it.  A bunch of us kids were like, "What the freak is that place they tacked onto the dead mall?" 

There's never been much east of the Hampshire Mall except for the HoJo's.

I still have my Dave's Soda and Pet Food City card.

I'll take your word for it.  I felt like it was over by the Staples, but I never went to Bread & Circus much. 

Dave's is still around, either still in the Mountain Farms Mall or returned to it.

That whole office plaza where Staples and Applebee's are at the end of the four-laned section of MA 116 didn't really exist until the 1990s.  The only thing that was there was Ho Jo's for a long time and The Hangar (in an actual hangar) was around there as well.

[Pete from Boston]

My memory of this may be fuzzy, but I thought Bread & Circus always existed in a stand-alone store a little bit east of the Hampshire Mall.  The Bread & Circus chain operated for a long time under that name after being bought out by Whole Foods, probably back in the early 90s.  I think it was 2003 that the names were all unified as Whole Foods.

Nah, I remember when Bread & Circus opened, since the co-op, which was in downtown Amherst on Kellogg Ave near Boltwood Walk, closed down as the owners or management got in on it.  A bunch of us kids were like, "What the freak is that place they tacked onto the dead mall?" 

There's never been much east of the Hampshire Mall except for the HoJo's.

I still have my Dave's Soda and Pet Food City card.

I'll take your word for it.  I felt like it was over by the Staples, but I never went to Bread & Circus much. 

Dave's is still around, either still in the Mountain Farms Mall or returned to it.

That whole office plaza where Staples and Applebee's are at the end of the four-laned section of MA 116 didn't really exist until the 1990s.  The only thing that was there was Ho Jo's for a long time and The Hangar (in an actual hangar) was around there as well.

I did not know The Hangar existed in another location before it was on University Drive (where it was not in a hangar).

I have some vague recollection of the Staples and Fish and Wildlife Service being built. But as I said, my memory of the area is a little fuzzy.

[Rothman]

My memory of this may be fuzzy, but I thought Bread & Circus always existed in a stand-alone store a little bit east of the Hampshire Mall.  The Bread & Circus chain operated for a long time under that name after being bought out by Whole Foods, probably back in the early 90s.  I think it was 2003 that the names were all unified as Whole Foods.

Nah, I remember when Bread & Circus opened, since the co-op, which was in downtown Amherst on Kellogg Ave near Boltwood Walk, closed down as the owners or management got in on it.  A bunch of us kids were like, "What the freak is that place they tacked onto the dead mall?" 

There's never been much east of the Hampshire Mall except for the HoJo's.

I still have my Dave's Soda and Pet Food City card.

I'll take your word for it.  I felt like it was over by the Staples, but I never went to Bread & Circus much. 

Dave's is still around, either still in the Mountain Farms Mall or returned to it.

That whole office plaza where Staples and Applebee's are at the end of the four-laned section of MA 116 didn't really exist until the 1990s.  The only thing that was there was Ho Jo's for a long time and The Hangar (in an actual hangar) was around there as well.

I did not know The Hangar existed in another location before it was on University Drive (where it was not in a hangar).

I have some vague recollection of the Staples and Fish and Wildlife Service being built. But as I said, my memory of the area is a little fuzzy.

The Hangar was actually quite cool.  Had half a Cessna or some other small plane sticking out the side of it. 

When the Hangar moved, the half-a-plane was obtained by the auto garage in Hadley on MA 9 that had the car on their roof for many years.  They did various things with the half-a-plane, but I believe they got rid of it relatively quickly.

[triplemultiplex]

The giant all-inside mall surrounded by an ocean of parking is on its way out.  All over the country, I've seen these faux-main street retail developments being built in areas that would have spawned 'conventional' malls a generation or two ago.  They have narrow little streets and wide sidewalks; most parking is in garages.  Restaurants are scattered throughout, usually with outdoor seating.  There's usually condos and office space thrown in for good measure.

It's an admittedly lame attempt to duplicate the atmosphere of an actual neighborhood.  It's lame because it's artificial.  Everything is too polished and neat.  It's too new.  Someone is trying to manufacture what was abandoned generations ago and it shows.