Overview
The discussion explores the cultural significance of malls in 1980s America, their decline in recent decades, and the innovative ways abandoned malls are being repurposed today.
Malls in 1980s Culture
- Malls were central gathering places, especially for teenagers seeking identity through mainstream retail.
- The rise of chain stores in malls diminished the uniqueness of local mom-and-pop shops.
- Malls contributed to a sense of homogenized culture in suburban America during the 1980s.
Impact on Cities and Local Businesses
- Growth of suburbia post-World War II led to disinvestment in cities and the decline of urban downtown retail.
- Mall expansion disrupted traditional local shopping districts and mom-and-pop stores.
- In recent decades, renewed investment in cities has led to a resurgence of main streets and local businesses.
Decline of the American Mall
- At their peak, there were about 1,500 enclosed malls in the U.S.; now fewer than 1,000 remain.
- An estimated quarter to a third of existing malls are projected to close or be repurposed soon.
- Overdevelopment, demographic changes, and suburban decline contributed to mall closures before the rise of online shopping accelerated the trend.
Cultural Fascination with Dead Malls
- There is a popular cultural obsession with abandoned malls, echoing broader interests in ruins and urban decay.
- Dead malls evoke both nostalgia and concerns about the end of an era, serving as metaphors for broader economic and social shifts.
Causes of Mall Closures
- Overbuilding led to market saturation and competition among malls.
- Changing demographics, with fewer households having children, reduced the customer base for malls.
- Social interaction and community gathering have shifted to online spaces, contributing to what some call a "loneliness epidemic."
Adaptive Reuse of Former Malls
- In strong markets, some dead malls are redeveloped as new downtown centers with mixed-use spaces.
- In weaker markets, malls are converted to office space, medical facilities, educational institutions, or churches.
- Some properties are returned to green space, wetlands, or community gardens to enhance surrounding property values.
Novel Uses and Entrepreneurial Approaches
- Entrepreneurs utilize dead malls for unique experiences like zombie-themed paintball events, capitalizing on their apocalyptic imagery.
- These creative uses reflect and influence public imagination, serving as settings for both nostalgia and thrill.
Influence on Entertainment
- Shows like "Stranger Things" use the mall setting to evoke nostalgia and explore cultural anxieties about societal change.