Malls will never completely die. I do know of this ratchet mall that's been hanging on for dear life for about 15 years now. It can definitely go. It's right next to a Super Walmart, so maybe that's helping keep it afloat.
And Walmart will be the last of the greats to go if it ever goes down, which I don't will ever happen. Walmart is the cockroach of super stores.
Wal-Mart is awful. Target >>>.
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Originally posted by Allie
People hate malls…? They're so convenient. The closest one is 25 minutes away, it's torture! We need more around here!
I don't have any mall close to me. The closest one is 45+ minutes away, but it's not even a very nice one. The nicer ones are at least 1.5 hrs away & it's something you have to make an entire day trip out of.
I'm pretty sure the mall in my city is closing. The JC Penney there is going to close in April, so even less people will be going there. I'm pretty sure people will be going to an outdoor mall in the city close to mine because that place is always filled with people no matter what day it is, or all the way down to Illinois mainly Gurnee Mills.
I don't have any mall close to me. The closest one is 45+ minutes away, but it's not even a very nice one. The nicer ones are at least 1.5 hrs away & it's something you have to make an entire day trip out of.
Target is trash. The only thing they have about Walmart is the appearance. Walmart offers more and at cheaper rates. People only hate Walmart because they're bigger (justifiably) then the likes of Target and Kmart.
I could describe all the enclosed malls in my Area.
2 (Crabtree, South point) are doing quite well filling vacancies as soon as they come up.They stay busy during the year.If any mall store 'new to the area' comes,one of these malls is likely to have them.Traffic around BOTH are a hassle.
2 (Cary Towne Center, Triangle Towne Center) are just there (one's about to lose their Sears store).One was never really a BIG player in the mall scene here as there's a power center (80+ stores) not far from the mall.The other one opened in 2002 and isn't living up to its potential. From what I'm hearing, this mall is doing poorly in sales per square footage, and takes up a half mid market half 'urban' mix of stores.
1 mall (University) has a mix of local stores (and a footlocker).Most of the big chains flock to one of the first two malls mentioned.
1 mall (Northgate) is hanging by a thread.This mall is a shadow of its former self. Many of the national chains (Express, AEO,Disney Store PacSun,Stride rite and Chick-Fil-A to name a few) have simply closed up shop simply closed up shop (The most recent store being 5-7-9).If this mall doesn't turn around quick or ends up losing one of its two remaining Department stores (My money's on Sears given the worsening financial shape of that company), then I don't see this particular establishment surviving as a mall anymore.
2 malls (North Hills,South Square) couldn't survive and got demolished. One's a lifestyle center, and the other is a strip of Big Box stores.
Good thing malls are booming in Southern Cali. I would be bored if there was no mall near me, especially if there was a lack of Bloomingdales or Neiman.
Malls were those places that played a big part in the youth culture for so long that I think that's why some of us find this so sad. They definitely are not the collective social space they once were thanks to people preferring to shop online or save money. Malls tend to be expensive as **** too. I think it's just mainly sad because of the place they held in so many people's memories for so many decades. Maybe I'm dating myself though, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.
I don't think Walmart will be the last to go down, though.
Anyone ever heard of A&P? What was once America's largest supermarket chain (we're talking more stores than even Walmart) is now on the brink of extinction. They expanded and expanded until the 70's when **** hit the fan and they were closing stores left and right.With the introduction of Sam's (To compete against Costco),Walmart Neighborhood Market (to compete with ACTUAL grocery stores) Walmart Express (to compete with Walgreen's), and all these other concepts out here,soon stores are going to cannibalize each other (That's granted no one who truly offers a better value than Walmart,Stores like Winco,Costco and ALDI doesn't get to them first)
If Walmart does weaken a bit,good. They're TRULY a parasitic business.Target might not be better but they're not as hellbent/overzealous with concepts as their competitor (They stopped building SuperTarget and Target GreatLand)
Kmart (U.S.) FAILED to invest in their stores' appearance/upkeep, prices, or even customer service.Most of their stores are dumpy and look like the haven't been touched since 1972,and prices there didn't really warrant shopping in such an old feeling place.Walmart and Target at least try to renovate their stores.
The JC Penney there is going to close in April, so even less people will be going there. I'm pretty sure people will be going to an outdoor mall in the city close to mine because that place is always filled with people no matter what day it is, or all the way down to Illinois mainly Gurnee Mills.