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Sunday, May 22, 2016

Are These The Final, Doomed Days Of The American Mall?

Once upon a time, not terribly long ago, enclosed shopping malls were mammoth physical manifestations of the great American retail experience — just about everything you could want to buy all in the same sprawling building, anchored at various points by those glorious national department store chains. Then came the dramatic shift to big box stores, offering everything from TVs to hardware to clothing to groceries from one store, followed by the advent of online shopping, where all this shopping can be done in your undies and everything will be delivered to your door. One retail analyst says that recent underwhelming sales figures from Macy’s and other mall mainstays could indicate that many of these relics of the not so distant past are doomed. 

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately thugs have taken over the malls.

bob pinto said...

What difference does it make?

Every retail store stock shelves from floor to ceiling with Chinese junk. The middle class is atrophying.

Also, you hear nothing of Target stores in Canada closing, some of them BRAND NEW. Check this video out on that subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohXYR69UhxI.

Retail is retail whether in malls or separate stores.

I'm predicting the same demise for restaurant chains. They're still sprouting like mushrooms in Salisbury. How many can be sustained?

Plus, the Mrs. and I ate at Red Lobster last night for an OK modest meal, which we rarely do anymore. $70 plus tip!

Anonymous said...

Bring back Drive-Ins!

Anonymous said...

I can't buy clothes unless I try them on.

Anonymous said...

The internet is killing our shoplifting activities.

Anonymous said...

Friend of mine works at Macy's. They are actually packing up inventory and it's being shipped back to distribution centers.. Unfortunately malls are not in with younger people like they were with Baby Boomers. By 2020, the number of malls in the U.S. should be down from about 1100 now to around 600.
And so true about eating out. It's outrageous. which is why we only do it maybe 3 times a year. I think the Centre will look like the old Salisbury mall in the late 1980's, by 2020, if not sooner.

Anonymous said...

Coming Soon another eyesore in Salisbury. We already have one on Civic Ave. There is a pile that is not disposed of because of asbestos and other so - called toxic material mixed in that heap. No one held responsible for the clean-up. The County gave millions to the owners for what 2 acres. They should have taken it under eminent domain since the owners owe millions in fines and back taxes. Salisbury will be looking like Detroit in a few years.

Anonymous said...

I dont see the Mall of America going anywhere fast.
If you do something right it will stay.....
not like what we have here.

Anonymous said...

If you people don't like Salisbury move the ack away. Maybe to Connecticut like that whiner the other day is moving to, hoping to find Nirvana.

Anonymous said...

I doubt if Sears, Kmart, or Maces will even be here after Christmas, if not before. Not looking good for any retailer!

Anonymous said...

Malls are not going away in cities and town that work, Malls are just a symptom of a larger disease of the local economy around them.
Oh, and by the way, this is a relatively recent phenomenon that has manifested itself since Obama has been president.

Anonymous said...

12:35 until some one is held responsible that garbage will be there for years. They are the "Homeboys" so expect it to be moved or any one punished anytime soon. Ricky boy did nothing but reward them.

Anonymous said...

Is there really asbestos in that rubble there 11:07?