The death of shopping malls....

[hawksurprize]

It sucks, but you know it's true.

Waterloo/CF people do any of you remember Ponch the mall cop at crossroads?

 

[soonerinlOUisiana]

Can’t add anything that hasn’t already been said here. As a teenager, I basically went to the mall for the arcade, midnight movies, Record Bar/Sound Shop, Spencer Gifts, and to see whoever else happened to be there. In college, I only went to the mall to buy CDs or clothes. The “social necessity” of the shopping mall is pretty much gone.

 

[stanzithemanzi12]

Shopping malls were a staple of Americana from the 1960s until basically when Amazon.com happened.

But blaming online shopping is only part of the story in my opinion. The BIG part of the story is that shopping malls used to be like the town square, where people gathered to meet other people.

Enter social media. No reason to drag yourself to the damn mall when you can have meaningful human interactions with your phone instead of having to physically be someplace.

Prove me wrong.

I think you hit both nails on the head.

 

[Colonoscopy]

 

[pepsicock]

Big Lots just went to that great strip mall in the sky....

I loved Big Lots. I go to Ollies now or Amazone

 

[MR BEEBS]

 

[Rifler]

Shopping as a form of entertainment is no longer a popular activity,.. Hence death of the shopping mall.

 

[HawkeyeShawn]

It's interesting how Coral Ridge in Coralville continues to thrive. It's always packed in there. It reminds me of being at Westdale in Cedar Rapids in the 1980s. Going to the mall when I was young was a big deal. There was a good chance you'd see people you knew. And the arcades were amazing. I can still smell them. And it was electric to be there with friends and meet girls from other schools.

Now teenagers walk around Target.

In the 80’s, The Mall of The Bluffs in CB had the theater, arcade and food court.

 

[Tenacious E]

You mentioned two big reasons and there are others. Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines is still very busy. SEveral other malls just do not have families with enough money to always be going there.

I wonder how much of the mall traffic at Jordan creek is people not from the area who are in town for sports or some event. As far as malls go, it is pretty nice and there are popular chain restaurants all around it, so I can see the draw if you are visiting from small town Iowa.

 

[zappaa]

It sucks, but you know it's true.

The person you’re arguing with does not know.
He can’t begin to understand.

 

[uihawk82]

I wonder how much of the mall traffic at Jordan creek is people not from the area who are in town for sports or some event. As far as malls go, it is pretty nice and there are popular chain restaurants all around it, so I can see the draw if you are visiting from small town Iowa.

Oh, for sure, and really people would easily drive and hour to shop and eat there or see a movie.

Remember years ago when the outlet malls in Story City and just west of Iowa City were totally packed. The Story City mall closed years ago as the Sam's Clubs, etc and Walmarts started to spring up all over the place

 

[gohawks50]

Places like these are the malls of today:

Metro Crossing Council Bluffs

Shadow Lake Towne Center Papillion, Nebraska

 

[Ray Kinsella]

When I moved to Omaha in the 90s, we had Oakview, Crossroads, Westroads, Southroads, and then Mall of the Bluffs in CB. My wife and I would frequently go to all of them. Now, Oakview is barely hanging on, and Westroads is the only one that's even close to what it once was; all the others are gone.
There are, however, outdoor malls like Village Pointe, Shadow Lake, and the Gretna Outlets that are doing quite well. I don't understand how the experience is superior to what we used to have.

 

[gohawks50]

When I moved to Omaha in the 90s, we had Oakview, Crossroads, Westroads, Southroads, and then Mall of the Bluffs in CB. My wife and I would frequently go to all of them. Now, Oakview is barely hanging on, and Westroads is the only one that's even close to what it once was; all the others are gone.
There are, however, outdoor malls like Village Pointe, Shadow Lake, and the Gretna Outlets that are doing quite well. I don't understand how the experience is superior to what we used to have.

I don't get it either especially in the Midwest. I preferred them all under one roof where you didn't have to go outside to get to another store.