Yep, you heard that right. The trend to larger and larger shopping malls, taking up many acres of land, is coming to an end. There are a number of malls in our area that either have already died, or are well into the process. In fact, we just discovered this weekend that one that we used to frequent is gone, replaced by businesses and a distribution warehouse.
This is a mixed blessing. The replacement for the malls is the "open air" shopping area. All the same stores, but not under one roof, and with parking right in front of most of the stores. This feels "more local," but it encourages more driving from store to store.
This is a mixed blessing. The replacement for the malls is the "open air" shopping area. All the same stores, but not under one roof, and with parking right in front of most of the stores. This feels "more local," but it encourages more driving from store to store.