Retail experts have long sounded the alarm on malls in the US.
But malls are not going extinct, they are merely adapting to a new environment. In fact, many have reported robust occupancy levels and bigger crowds than before the pandemic, according to a recent market analysis from Coresight Research.
I know the one mall in my hometown isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Sure it’s a far cry from what it probably was a long time ago, but it’s still a great place to go.
I hope it doesn’t close because it’s the most convenient place for me to go to get both bubble tea and copies of older manga.
Most of my bigger local malls have been pretty great, too. Whenever I go, they’re bustling with activity and I love it. It’s fun to make an outing out of it. Hit up the food court for so many guilty pleasure options, look around some cool stores, and be able to try on clothes before buying them (the lack of being the biggest reason not to buy clothes online – some companies have really inconvenient return policies, too).
But that’s definitely not the case for every mall. There’s a small one near me that is just sad. Despite being in a fairly busy area outside, it contain a bunch of empty storefronts that went out of business during COVID and still haven’t found new tenants. I’m not sure why it’s been that way for so long. Are there that few people looking to start businesses in that area? Or could the landlords just be massively overcharging? It sucks, though, cause I like being able to visit interesting shops in person.
Shout out to your username! The voice in my head sang it as I read it