We just came back from our local mall. A sad and upsetting scene. the huge parking lot which had room for thousands of cars was empty except for 7 trucks and maybe 75 cars. From 125 stores, down to 8 or 10 smaller stores... gone are Sears, Penneys, and Bergners (BonTon) the anchors. Marshalls is the only semi large store, and the movie theater are the only 2 general draws.
The interior has been well maintained, and the mall is still heated and air conditioned.
The other major feature is rather sad... open for seniors walking, and one semi-large store turned into a function room for the local hospital. Tai Chi classes and health presentations... in use about 7 hours a week.
There are two other shopping centers with multiple stores... one headed by Walmart, and the other by Target. The multiple stores in these centers seem to be doing well, so the semi metro area that these centers serve... (est. 60,000 homes in a 35 mile radius.) keep our town as a "center".
What happens next? The mall is 465,000 square ft. and sure to be empty within a year or two.
So, that's the sad tale from our town. What is happening to the mall nearest to you? Still operating? anchors? # of stores still in business? Alternate uses? torn down? And what of the shopping habits of the area residents. Alternate malls? Shopping centers?
Of course Amazon... but what else is there to take up the slack? Have some of the larger stores, like our Menards changed or added to the kinds of merchandise that they formerly carried? Like a limited grocery or clothing section. In a relatively short time... maybe 10 years, the face of retailing in the U.S. has changed dramatically. What will happen to all the acreage that formerly housed what used to be part of our lives.
I know this has been discussed before, but think it would be interesting to get an update from different locations.
The interior has been well maintained, and the mall is still heated and air conditioned.
The other major feature is rather sad... open for seniors walking, and one semi-large store turned into a function room for the local hospital. Tai Chi classes and health presentations... in use about 7 hours a week.
There are two other shopping centers with multiple stores... one headed by Walmart, and the other by Target. The multiple stores in these centers seem to be doing well, so the semi metro area that these centers serve... (est. 60,000 homes in a 35 mile radius.) keep our town as a "center".
What happens next? The mall is 465,000 square ft. and sure to be empty within a year or two.
So, that's the sad tale from our town. What is happening to the mall nearest to you? Still operating? anchors? # of stores still in business? Alternate uses? torn down? And what of the shopping habits of the area residents. Alternate malls? Shopping centers?
Of course Amazon... but what else is there to take up the slack? Have some of the larger stores, like our Menards changed or added to the kinds of merchandise that they formerly carried? Like a limited grocery or clothing section. In a relatively short time... maybe 10 years, the face of retailing in the U.S. has changed dramatically. What will happen to all the acreage that formerly housed what used to be part of our lives.
I know this has been discussed before, but think it would be interesting to get an update from different locations.