It's been quite some time since I set foot in any mall. I'd say it's been at least a year, and probably closer to two years. The last time I did, however, it really struck me how different it felt to the mall of yesteryear. Side note: When I was a pre-teen, a new mall was built near our home and that became our "entertainment." Parents would often drop my girlfriends and me off at the mall and we'd spend hours there. That wasn't considered abnormal back then, and I have fond memories of whiling away the hours shopping and just browsing (that's back in the day when there were record stores and little shops that made t-shirts while you wait), eating giant slices of pizza, and going to the mall cinema. I do remember one time when my friend Kim and I rode the elevator in JCP and decided it would be great fun to SCREAM all the way down. A security officer met us when the doors opened and we got a very stern lecture that pretty much put the fear of God into us. ;-)

Today the mall is an entirely different place, and it doesn't really much suit my needs for shopping or entertainment purposes. On my last visit I found the anchor stores to be generally messy and poorly organized, and the "filler" stores had become oddities containing imports and I wondered how those places managed to even sell enough to pay what must still be a high rent on the space.

In 1979 another mall opened near the one I mentioned in my first paragraph, and for a number of years the two malls cohabited nicely even though they were only a few miles apart. In 2004 the second-built mall closed and sat empty until it was demolished in 2007. In recent years, a new and quite beautiful city hall has been built on the space, and I'm pleased to see that land now used for something other than growing weeds.

I like the thought of dying-and-dead malls being turned into space that can be well utilized. The idea of creating something akin to "towns" out of them is very interesting, and now I'll be pondering what the pros and cons of such an endeavor might be.

I think malls are dying for many reasons. People gave limited spare time and prefer to shop online, there are safety concerns in some malls. Our local malls now require teens to be accompanied by and adult from 4pm Fri until closing on Sun at 6pm. Rampaging teens.

It is not economical to have very many full-time employees - benefits and employees standing around during dead hours. But fewer and fewer people are willing to work 3-4 hrs in the middle of the day, 7 days a week, which is what stores want.

People now work very long hours and gave family commitments when they're not working. Shopping is no longer recreational. I haven't been in a mall in two years, other than walking right into the mani-pedi shop right inside the side entrance. Walking for very far is difficult for me, and there's rarely anything that interests me.

I live in the Denver area and the newest shopping center is a redevelopment of an existing failed mall into an open air town concept set up on a street grid. A few free standing anchor stores around the perimeter, numerous smaller stores and restaurants along the "streets" plus apartments, gyms, spas, grocery store, public library, movie theater, etc.

It's slightly less convenient than a conventional mall because the stores are very spread out. But, probably more financially sound as the financial success isn't based on the popularity of one or two large stores.

Senior housing! That's a fascinating idea!

Lynn, here is a youtube video of how the oldest mall in America, in Providence, R.I. was remodeled into small apartments and retail.

Oldest US mall blends old/modern with 225-sq-ft micro lofts

There is a mall in Estero, Florida that has condos above the retail shopping. I always say as a joke imagine saying for directions, I'm above Loft right around the corner from Coach.

I am not sure if these units are actually selling. I am not sure why someone thought living above stores in a mall was a good idea.

I can understand why large department stores are failing. I am a petite size and for years my go to places used to be Macy's or Lord & Taylor. But for the last five years or so these departments have not met my needs and so I just started Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft.

A new mall opened up about 30 minutes away and it is an open air mall. I don't understand the attraction of shopping in the rain or snow and being outside going from one store to the other. But, maybe this is the way malls are headed make them look as if you're in a little town.

I do a lot of online shopping from Loft and Ann Taylor and when I need to return I'd return to the store and sometimes I might be able to find something at the store. Again because I'm a petite the selection at the store is small.

I also agree about safety we have one more wall that is a security problem all the other mall is more upscale and and doesn't have the crime rate the other mall has.

20 years ago all the Stats were predicting the death of enclosed malls. People prefer to park, run in, buy, leave not wander for miles past stores they don't care to shop in just to get to where they need to be. Most anchor stores have outside doors--but the Malls rent is insane, thus they are moving out. Too bad all the JCP stores can't move back to their downtown locations. I can spot a JCP or Woolworth in any town I drive through. Those were the days!! Seems the predictions were correct! There are malls around here being reconfigured into more strip mall versions of themselves. The senior living thing is also a very old idea. The town I went to college in did this about 25 years ago. Be assured that land will not stand empty long!!

I've watched Malls and big store buildings (remember Zayres and JM Fields?) transform into other uses for many years here in the Tampa area. So far, they have become office complexes. My closest Macy's is one that is closing. The Mall it is in has been on the downturn for a few years. There is still a Sears store, but the other 'anchor' store in a Dillard's outlet. The Dillard's outlet is the only store I have been in that Mall for many years.

The International Mall and another Mall within 2 miles of it are the only Malls that seem to be doing well in the area. They also have the stores that are considered upscale. Although SAKS did leave a few years ago.

I take some of the blame myself, I would much rather shop online or in small, stand alone, independent stores then to set foot in a Mall.

Eld, Tampa has a shopping area (Hyde Park Village) with Condos above the stores. It's not an enclosed Mall but open air. The complex hosts lots of evening entertainment, art shows and other fun stuff. I always thought It would be a great place to retire. Would enjoy sitting on the balcony watching the people.

They would be great spaces for community colleges or senior housing.

Interestingly, in Barcelona they turned the bull fighting arena into a mall.

Lucy, that YouTube video is so interesting . . . I had no idea that anything like this existed! Thank you for that. I've just finished watching it. It's a much smaller mall than I was thinking of, but the same basic premisee, nevertheless.

Terriks-The local community college did that with a mall in north Austin a few years ago. Austin Community College Highland Mall

The only reason I ever go to the mall is to go to Nordstrom or Sears for an appliance. Both have doors to the parking lot, so I never venture out into the mall itself. Wandering around a mall is not my idea of fun.

You may enjoy this podcast about the father of modern shopping malls, Victor Gruen.

http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-gruen-effect/

"Victor Gruen imagined designing an environment full of greenery and shops. An indoor plaza which could be an island of connection in the middle of the sprawl. One that would get people out of their cars in order to walk and stroll within them. [...] Gruen’s full vision for the mall was more than just shops. He imagined them as mixed-use facilities, with apartments, offices, medical centers, child-care facilities, libraries, and (since it was the 1950s) bomb shelters."

Lynn, coincidentally, the Sears and JCP stores in a large local mall will close at the end of the month. All the other stores are long gone but these 2 have been hanging on. The mall will be razed and a new 'mid-town center' is planned for the entire complex which will be totally reconfigured. The only thing that will remain is a stand-alone movie theater that was recently remodeled.

There is still one small enclosed mall in town that is fairly nice (Dillard's, Belk are anchors, with Ann Taylor, PB and Williams-Sonoma among others). The newest are open air shopping centers. I don't get the appeal either, especially in bad weather where there is little or no covered parking access to the stores or restaurants.

I'm not much of a shopper, just a buyer when I need something I go get it or shop online. I'm lazy in my old age and don't care to fight the crowds for a parking place just to run in for a few items.

I'm interested in the idea that many of us just have no desire to get out there and shop at a brick-and-mortar, much less a mall. Did you used to enjoy it? I did. These days, however, I can't imagine much that would be more mind-numbing and unproductive than walking through the mall just browsing and maybe making a small impulse purchase or two.

If I want or need something for the house, I can almost always get it online and have it delivered right to my door. I so rarely shop for clothes - and even though I tend to wear the same things in rotation, I'm fine with exactly what I have now and no longer feel the need to keep stocking my closet with new stuff. I used to enjoy going out and buying clothing -- it used to be sort of a "rush", I guess you'd say, to know that I had something brand new to wear. Now it's just a necessary chore if and when something finally wears out. The same holds true for items like cosmetics and fragrance. I want very little of those, realize that I already have enough or too much of those items, and I know what I like so I'm not compelled to spend time shopping around comparing things.

I think this is what happens to people as they age. Oh well. It's not all bad.

I still don't shop on the web. Don't like the identity theft potential, nor buying merchandise without inspecting it first. I do go to the local large mall to be able to walk some distance indoors during unpleasant weather, see others doing likewise. Also that is where a few specific vendors I wish to patronize are located in this area. But it is true that the bulk of stalls I walk past seldom have anything for me.

Other than that the only two things I have to add is Penney/Sears/Woolworth stores are types that catered to a particular market that may not have any loose money anymore. And I have read that malls are becoming a place to eat instead of shop - (consistent with this I have noticed the branch of one department store chain that is located in a high income area has more than one cafe etc. inside of it). Or a place to look at the goods in person and then go home and order them on the web, for lower prices.

I don't know if you noticed when you've been in Michigan visiting, but JC Penny's has started to open up smaller scaled, satillite type stores in large shopping centers (and some even sell appliances!), there's one in Chesterfield, White Lake and a few other spots. The size is comparable to a Best Buy or even a Costco. The newest mall built about 5 years ago (Partridge Creek) in Clinton Township and another in Rochester are out door malls. Partridge Creek welcomes dogs and has music concerts featuring local bands in the summer, people enjoy going there to just hang out and are welcomed. There are stores considered to be more upscale like a Nordstrom, Sur La Tab, Vera, Coach and so on, but then theres also a few more affordable stores as well, plus an Apple store, something for everyone if you will. It's wonderful, so much nicer and enjoyable than a large indoor mall where one can feel trapped. Great Lakes Crossing is a larger mall but it's an outlet Mall and a lot of it's business is from touring Canadians. Somerset is still going strong, but I see a lot of the more suburban malls as obsolete and love the feel of the out door mall much better.

ETA: I think that the switch Penny's is making is wise and I hope it helps to get it back on track. If Macy's doesn't do something similar soon, it's going to keep falling in decline. I think one reason Kohl's hasn't felt that pinch yet is because their stores are always more accessible. I know for me personally, I would rather have a tooth pulled than to go shopping in an indoor mall.

I hadn't noticed that when I was up there last, Lukki, but much of my family lives in the area near Partridge Creek Mall. And my parents, before they passed last year, lived in the Rose Senior Living Complex, (kind of) right behind that mall. So, I've been there a lot with my family and love it! I also adore the nearby Nino Salvaggio's. and lust for one here by me! We head to Nino's every few days when I'm up there.

Your dream is already in existence (sort of). Mega cruise ships are as you described. Royal Caribbean comes to mind. I don't live in an urban setting and can't remember the last time I was in a mall. I hate to see them out of of business. A HUGE upscale shopping plaza has been built (actually still being built) in the city where I do my shopping/entertainment, with many of the shops in the mall closing and moving to the shopping plaza.

If brick and mortar stores and malls are going out of existence, you sure couldn't tell in my area "My" mall -- actually two malls -- just were joined into one humongous mall. Seriously, it must be mile and a half from one end to the other. They added many very high end stores such as Carolina Herrera, Bonobos, Gucci and lots more. When I walk by those stores, the only people in them are the salespeople. But, the mall itself is hopping. I do go shopping there pretty often, mostly for clothes since I have trouble buying things that fit online. Just beyond this monster mall is another new shopping area that also has housing. I have yet to check that out.

I think more seniors could stay in their own home if they could have easy access to services and healthcare. Hope someone creates that concept before I need it, which may not be all that far off.

These large anchors that close have negative affects on the whole mall. Many smaller tenants have co-tenancy clauses that allow them to pay reduced rent or terminate their leases based on the anchors closing. Many mall owners have loans that are set to mature that were underwritten during the early 2000s. It will be more difficult to refinance so some owners will declare bankruptcy.

I work in the financial side of the commercial RE field and this situation creates a lot of uncertainty in the market. Here's a link that explains it better:

http://info.trepp.com/trepptalk/closing-up-shops-cmbs-exposure-to-recent-retail-closures

People don't shop the way that they used to and brick & mortar stores are suffering. I do a lot of shopping on-line and the younger generation much more so. I hate shopping at Macy, JC Penny, and other retailers that try to sell everything under the sun. I much prefer to shop on-line or shop at small specialty retailers.

I think the days of the large anchor retailers is coming to an end but I am not sure of the best use for all that soon-to-be empty space.

I haven't read through the thread but what has been happening here is "town centers." Open air "main streets" with shops and restaurants. The malls are declining.

Quite frankly, I think these town centers are stupid. Parking is a hassle. Parallel parking along the street, not enough of it and boloxing up traffic as people try to park. Or parking garages where you have to pay then maybe walk blocks to a restaurant. And of course they are virtually dead when the weather is snowy and cold or raining.

Aren't these the reasons malls started in the first place? Plenty of parking adjacent to the mall, all stores and restaurants enclosed for year round climate- controlled shopping.

I just don't get the allure of the town center concept unless it's a beautiful spring or fall day and you can get a decent parking spot close to the action.

Not so common in my area are malls that have stores you actually need to visit on a regular basis. My inlaws went to a grocery store that also exited to a mall, which had a pharmacy, liquor store, small hardware store (not a Home Depot), and donut shop, in addition to the normal mall-type stores. We have a mall with a mammogram center!

As to shopping the malls, I tend not to shop much at all, online or on foot. Mall shopping is like my Chamber of Commerce's exhortation to "shop local". If the things I need to buy are there, then I will go there.

I think malls are becoming a thing of the past. I can't even tell you the last time I was in one. I don't particularly LIKE to shop but when I go, I have favorite stores/boutiques that I prefer to frequent. I can go in, find what I'm looking for, and get out. I also do a ton of shopping online. Even tissue and detergent. As someone mentioned I think the condo/retail/restaurant would be nice for seniors, singles or students. It's not my cup of tea. The Gaylord resort in Nashville is nice, but it's not my preference of somewhere to stay.

Two malls in our city have closed completely. One became a megachurch, the other a bunch of medical/dental offices relocated from the University medical complex. the one remaining mall has already lost Sears and is now losing Macy's. I hope that doesn't ruin things for the rest of the stores. Although I hate going to the mall, I know it is a major employer of young people on my side of town and I hate for them to have trouble finding jobs they can get to.

I go to the mall about 2-3 times per year: once around the holidays, once for prom dresses, and maybe once for school clothes. My college-aged kids go more often, but nothing like what my friends and I did at their age--they mostly shop online.

I can remember when just about every item in our house that wasn't inherited came from the mall--from furniture and curtains to pots and pans, clothing and toys. Looking around my house today, I can't see any non-clothing item that came from the mall, other than the pots and pans my mother bought for me when I left home.

And I buy 75% of my clothes online, and all of my shoes. I can see why malls are hurting if other people's habits are similar.

Are outlet malls still a "thing"? I remember a number of years ago when people seemed to think you could get really good deals on high-end merchandise at those places. I think I only set foot in two of them and was unimpressed. Grapevine Mills is a gargantuan outlet mall in my area (180 stores), and I guess people still shop there. The only time I've done so I found it overwhelming and exhausting, and the merchandise in the supposed high-end shops was tired-looking and in many cases, damaged.

I think discounters like the TJMaxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods trio has done a lot to hurt more traditional retailers like Penneys & Macys.

Our local mall started with 4 anchor stores. It now has 2.5 (Sears cut out half of its space). The one that disappeared entirely has been replaced by two chain restaurants, a Dick's sports shop, and an LL Bean. I've been to the latter to shop, but otherwise i don't enter the mall at all.

I would love to shop for clothing in person - you can't tell quality or fit from an image on line - but being that I am 6'1", not likely to happen any time soon. (Other than short sleeved tops. And I don't go to the mall for those.)

Ida, I totally agree with you about the whole shopping experience. When I was young, and there no internet and just a few catalogs, it was somewhat fun to go on a shopping trip now and then. Now there are only a few things I want to (or need to) go touch and see in person or try on before buying. Towels and lamps are a couple of examples. I never had much luck with those online.

There are still some outlets around in the southeast. I've always heard the general rule of thumb is they will last about 10 years. I don't know if that is still true. Seems like the ones I know about have been around a while. But I agree, there isn't much there I found appealing. A couple of times a Coach bag called my name though.

Oh, noting about what Ida said regarding shopping for clothing, mid thread: Yes, I don't really need more clothing per se, and now that I've retired, even less. I'm in the process of going through my clothing and sorting it into four piles (since I will be moving): nice keepers, keepers that are good for doing grunge work and future farming in, Goodwill items, and trash/rags. Unfortunately I AM rather sparse in the slacks/jeans category - really HARD to find long items in person, and I am also sparse in the shoe division. But I doubt I'll need another top or a pair of shorts for a decade to come! (I own a total of 2 dresses, but that's enough, actually...)

Ida...outlet malls must still be a thing because they just built one 15 minutes from me. It opened in October. DH and I avoided it until after Christmas and did just a drive by last week. They don't really turn me on and if I go it will just be for so something to do. It was crowded the day we went so I assume are still popular.

Outlets aren't what they used to be. Most brands make merchandise specifically for their outlets. Like Coach -- only the stuff in the back of the store, where there is only one or two of each bag, is from the full price store. The rest, which is 90% of the store, was made for the outlet. Same with pretty much all of them.

I stopped shopping at outlets once I learned about that. Some made-for-outlet bags show up at TJMaxx, too. (Michael Kors in particular.) I learned about the different styles so that I could avoid "being had" at TJM.

Sorry if repetitive, I didn't read all of the replies.

1. Clearly online shopping is growing at a much faster rate than retail sales overall; that is a challenge. I probably get a box from Amazon, alone, at least once a week on average. Now that free shipping is ubiquitous, and things come in a day or so, the only downside to me is environmental (but that is actually a bit complex to analyze in fact). We have an area in our home we refer to as the "loading dock", where incoming packages are placed, and outgoing packages are left for the next UPS/USPS trip. I predict this will become a feature in homes soon! In the future, retail stores may become more like showrooms, with smaller staff, inventory and footprint, and all of the order fulfillment done the way it is online already.

2. The biggest weakness in retail, is the "department store". When we were kids, department stores sold literally everything. Appliances, mattresses, furniture, stationery, you name, large and small. Over time new specialty stores called "category killers" killed off many of these lines, and most department stores have a much narrower range of product. In my mind, department stores harken back to a time when you trusted or identified with a certain store. That store fit your tastes and budget. Today, consumers have so much more information. They would not go to Macy's just because it is Macy's and buy a mattress. They are going to be armed with a lot of information online first.

3. Repurposing anchors in malls (ie department stores) is really hard. They are large, mostly windowless boxes often over several floors. It is hard/expensive to get light into all that square footage, which you need if it is to house multiple new tenants. It is also hard to create visibility for the new, smaller stores and good foot traffic flow. It is easier to turn them into community colleges or medical offices and the like.

4. My DH and I joke that our local mall was built by the Cheesecake Factory, so that people have a place to go while they wait for their table. OTOH, our kids like to go and hang out and shop at the mall (shoot me). Fine with us. We give them parameters and a credit card, they call with questions if they want to buy something they are not sure we would approve of. This is de rigeur around here and the kids buy a lot of stuff.

5. The high-end malls in the US are doing very very well. It is very hard to get a parking spot most weekends. It is the less desirable malls that are really hurting. Away from malls, retail is doing pretty well in outlets, etc.

ETA - Rory, so funny ... I am reading your post and I think .. co-tenancy clause? ... this is an industry person. Then a link to Trepp ... never did I expect to see that on GW. LOL

"Remember when there were malls?"

Sadly I think we'll be saying that eventually. There's not much in ours anymore. Around here even if I like a store it seems the sections I'm interested in are skimped on and there's not much in stock. That's frustrating. It's easier to shop online for a lot of things. I've also heard how horrifically expensive it is to have a store in the mall. No wonder they can't keep stores open.

If they end up a thing of the past I think turning them into housing for seniors is a great idea.

I'm not a Mall person and consider my Christmas shopping a great success if I manage to complete all purchases without stepping into one. However if I need to purchase shoes I do shop brick and mortar - it's just easier to try shoes on in person rather than ordering and returning until you find something that fits.

Dedtired - I haven't been to your Mall since they connected the two. But I was there twice last year and I'm not in a hurry to return. It's just too darn big. I picked up a map and still managed to miss 2 of the shops that I was looking for and I never even made it to the other building. My shopping companion and I finally decided to eat and early dinner and leave. But we did get a lot of exercise.

I'm sure it would have been much easier if I had planned my route ahead of time or if I stayed with the anchors but I was trying to find some of the smaller shops. I did like your Nordstrom's - it was much nicer and larger than mine.

Maire

PS - I really miss the Notions Department!

I agree, malls like our South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island near Newport Beach, CA attract Japanese and Chinese tourists looking for luxury shopping. Spectrum in Irvine is always busy but smaller malls with a Sears or JCPenneys are fading away.

There is a mall down the street from my house that has lost many of it's anchor stores-there is a Macy's that is closing (used to be a Meier & Frank, which sold to May Corp about 15 years ago), and a Sears, which is a dead zone. What used to be Montgomery Wards was turned into a Burlington Coat Factory when Wards went under. I can't remember the last time I went into that mall-they turned a lot of the stores into street facing, which seem to have a lot better attendance-Pier One and JoAnne's are popular. Some spaces have been turned in to offices-a DMV and a dentist are in two others, again, with street entrances not accessible to the mall itself.

The 'Town Centers' are becoming the new big thing and I think it's because they are more flexible and don't require a large anchor. They're a big step up from strip malls, as they have brand name stores, but with smaller foot prints and non-specific floor plans. So when The Container Store moves out, a TJ Maxx can move in with little change. One of these places moved in north to a sister city and it's anchor is a Lowes, but it's got a huge variety of retail with a mix, some banks, fast food, sit down restaurants, a medical center and other service related stores. It's always packed.

As to outlet malls-there is one within a 20 minute drive from me and it's always jammed packed. In fact, they're adding more and more stores and eateries on the outskirts.

But enclosed malls-no they're on their way out. I also saw a feature where they were planning to turn a mall into a mixed use retirement community. I personally think that is a good idea-and I'd move in to something like that-a place to safely walk, grocery shop, maybe even a health care provider, all within walking distance from your own little home.

There is a mall in Estero, Florida that has condos above the retail shopping.

Do you mean Coconut Point? That does have a lot of residences, but they are in neighboring complexes, mostly, not above. At least they weren't last May, the last time I was there. If not that, where, please? Has Grande Oaks gone that route? Just curious.

I used to love hanging out at the mall, but these days it's so darned boring, because every store sells the same unappealing merchandise. Back in the heyday of malls everything that wasn't clothes wasn't all made from resin. I haven't been in our local mall since last June, and then only because my SIL keeps giving me Dillards gift certificates.

ETA I totally understand the dislike of the Simon town center concept in areas with lots of snow, but it works fairly well in FL, and I prefer it to having to get into an enclosed mall and trek forever under depressing low wattage CFL lighting to a store location.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is the downgrading of existing malls, which I find interesting. The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, for instance, was a major destination mall when it first opened--just beautiful, a sort of temple to shopping, with lots of interesting and unusual stores. Over the years the finishes have been cheapened each time they've redone it (from aurora marble to white 12" ceramic tiles, for example) and now although it's still relatively busy (Nordstrom, Apple) it's a most unpleasant place to be in. I'm not sure the reasoning behind that.

I loved the Providence project someone posted. Not sure it's a good example of repurposing malls, though, as it was really a charming historic building downtown in a vibrant college town. Most failing malls are stranded in huge parking lots in exurbia, in areas that don't have such severe housing shortages. I also think 225sq ft apartments are only viable if you have a zoning loophole and a lot of students. You will note he said that was the key, very high per sq foot rent, but low monthly rent because they are so small.

i thought the organic soap lady's place was really cute, but it looked like you could break a window if you kicked in your sleep. They remind me of cruise ship cabins. Not mentioned, they are really SRO.

Malls are definitely not on their way out around me, in suburban DC/Baltimore. Where I live, in a large tourist town, we have our downtown/Main Street shopping district with its touristy shops, boutiques and restaurants. Unfortunately high rents and parking issues mean lots of turnover and some businesses fleeing to our huge mall a few miles away, as well as a Towne Center (funny it's called that b/c it's not the center of town!) just down the road from the mall and an additional large strip mall another few blocks from there. Our mall has been around since my childhood and has expanded several times in the last 30 years. The anchor stores are Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, JCP, Macy's and Sears. It also includes Crate and Barrel and all three Pottery Barns. I almost never go to the mall though my teenagers do. Not to hang out - my dd17 loves to shop and ds16 will meet friends for a movie. Our Towne Center is huge as well with a high rise high end condo complex as well as Whole Foods, Target and stores like lulu lemon, and Anthropologie and numerous restaurants. Kohl's is a stand alone store across the road from there, then TJ MAXX is at another strip mall across from the Towne Center. A couple of blocks from these shopping areas is yet another large strip mall with Nordstrom Rack, Barnes and Noble, Fresh Market and a movie theater as its anchor stores. I used to love shopping but since having kids, it's more of a burden. When I do shop, I tend to hit the strip malls rather than the huge mall b/c I typically just want to go to one or two stores and then flee. ;). I rarely buy shoes or clothes online b/c I need to try them on first. I will if I already have the item and just want a replacement, or it's something where I know the fit won't be an issue. I do often buy my kids clothes online, esp my boys. I do use Amazon Prime but not really for clothes or shoes. I also try to buy from locally owned stores as much as I can. But all that said, I don't see our mall going belly up anytime soon. Our anchor stores never seem to be the ones to close when retailers announce they are closing some of their locations.

The latest trend here is "no-drive", live-shop-offices: apartments above/adjacent with an "anchor" high end grocery store, restaurants, gym, small shops for services like dry cleaning, coffee, and fed-ex shipping, and some office space. You come home and you can drop into the grocery store or eat out without having to drive anywhere, visit with your neighbors. Seems to be working, when we've been there lots of people congregating, greeting each other. Place was hopping. Nice not to have to drive to three or four different places if you don't mind apartment living.

A newer very large development under construction will have all of that plus movie theaters, jogging/walking trails, "sports" parks (playing fields), some office buildings for larger companies, with a shuttle to the airport and the light rain station adjacent.

Neetsie, I agree with you about the 'Town Centers'. And from what I gather, most of them aren't geographically the center of town or even close. This new 'mid-town center' about to go in here is a combination of shops, offices, restaurants, apartments and condos from what I can tell from the drawings. One large former electronics big box store across a side street has been claimed by something called 'Top Golf', an indoor digital golf game. It's about a mile from the University and also close to our Research Park business/technology area, so it should do ok, but the mall just absolutely failed.

Mtn, your 5 points above were good. I don't see anything unusual with today's kids hanging out at a mall/town center and spending money. I know my 17-yr old DGD and her friends meet up at the one Town Center at the restaurants now and then or go to Anthropologie or some of the other shops.

'Town Centers' are a big deal here as well. The new trend in shopping, dining, and socializing I guess.

This one is located in an adjacent suburb to where we live. There are art shows and music festivals that take place here, and that's what's happening in this photo.

i think those are both charming, Ida.

Oooooh yeah! Nino's is the bomb!!! Especially in the spring. And yes! Every neighborhood should have one! I used to take my Mom there when she visited. She said it was better than any farmers market she'd ever seen. I figured you'd know where I was talking about, that area is really popping and Partridge Creek is a perfect fit!

The Kushner Corporation (yes, THAT Kushner) filed a major redesign "town center" proposal for our local enclosed mall (anchored by JC Penney, Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and Boscov's) with an "open plan", hotel, and townhouses/condominiums. It was soundly rejected (the intersection is horrible on a good day).

Their other main project in the area is an oceanfront, open plan strip mall with boutique-type stores, very good restaurants, condos above the stores and additional residential buildings behind. That one is extremely popular as the parking also serves beach goers.

well, here in PA, King of Prussia mall just keeps adding on!! the place is HUGE and has every high-end store imaginable.. just added Clarins.... i guess we haven't gotten the word that malls are "a thing of the past" ....

http://www.simon.com/mall/king-of-prussia/stores http://www.philly.com/philly/business/retail/20160629_KOP_Mall_expansion_debuts_in_mid-August_with_these_luxuary_retailers.html

hope the links work!!

I grew up going to KOP, (the most oddly named town in PA, no wait I take that back ...)

KOP reminds me of Mall of America in that I think a mall can be too big!