Ultimately, 1 in 4 malls and as many as 1 in 2 could eventually go out of business

[Lennie]

It has been years since I set foot in a shopping mall.

Mall owner Washington Prime Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing COVID-19

Mall owner Washington Prime Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing COVID challenges

Washington Prime Group (WPG) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday, citing the COVID-19 pandemic for making the move necessary.

www.usatoday.com

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[Alexx1401]

The malls are a one of those things that most could see were going to die out. The old designs depended on "anchor stores" to hold them. The big anchor stores kept going under. There will be some stuff that will last but, the concept just is no longer something people want.

 

[TTSX]

I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you.


The two "malls" in my area have been doing a slow death for many years. I remember when I was a child, all the shop fronts were full and busy and it was a place the family went regularly when shopping needed to be done. Now it's more vacant spaces and shuttered stores I've never heard of, maybe with a department store/Cabela's on one end and a movie theater on the other.

Shoot, if it weren't for my local gun shops/grocery stores and my job, I'd never leave the house. Why bother? Anything I want can be had online for cheap delivered right to my door.

 

[OldTengu]

There is a rumor going through property management circles that the Lloyd Center is going to be used for homeless housing once the remaining leases are up.

 

[The Heretic]

I can't remember the last time I went inside a mall. Decades ago I used to go just to wander around inside, but then got bored with doing that, mostly because most of the malls were the same inside, then I only went to get something special, then the internet allowed me to shop from home. When I moved up here on the mountain I do almost all of my shopping online except for groceries - it means I no longer have to go into town and deal with annoying humans or drive anywhere. Now that I am retired leaving home and my surrounding forest has been reduced by 90% - hurray!

 

[Hop Sing]

I kind of like using the old malls as a place to rehabilitate the homeless and whacko people. You could have places set up for detox, mental illness treatment, showers, lockers, cots, etc.

The bugaboo in this is personal rights - as it stands now authorities can't just force people to go there to get straightened out.

 

[The Heretic]

I think malls repurposed for homeless people might become the equivalent of "the projects"/etc. and would just attract more homeless to the city.

E.G., the complex in Dredd

 

[Longwalkhome]

The world is changing quickly, folks will have to adapt to the reset.

 

[Ruger Rich]

Back in the day, there was nothing worse, nothing, than my wife asking me
to go to Clackamas Town Center at Christmas time with her. Gag, vomit, puke,
sh!t and any thing else. I went, twice, just to gather details and noxious stories
to tell the next time she asked. At that point I became "MF", (mall free).

 

[Longwalkhome]

Property has to earn money so what will they turn the malls into?

 

[Aero Denezol]

Property has to earn money so what will they turn the malls into?

Housing, I assume.

 

[The Heretic]

Housing, I assume.

Yes, some malls have been made into housing. If done right it would maybe be better than most apartment buildings, of done wrong, it could be a slum.

 

[slimmer13]

I kind of like using the old malls as a place to rehabilitate the homeless and whacko people. You could have places set up for detox, mental illness treatment, showers, lockers, cots, etc.

The bugaboo in this is personal rights - as it stands now authorities can't just force people to go there to get straightened out.

The problem with spending money on rehabilitation of the homeless, is that the people that make a living doing so, have no real incentive to fix the problem and basically eliminate their job.

Look at LA, between .5 and $1,000,000,000 annually with zero impact.

 

[CountryGent]

Online commerce forever changed how the consumer can find, compare, and buy goods. It isn't surprising that the malls have declined so dramatically. I rarely went to them to begin with and couldn't name the last time was other than stopping at a Cabela's attached to one, and even that is exceedingly rare.

Living in the sticks, it is just so much easier to do a few taps on the keyboard, and then a few day later whatever it is shows up. No long drive to and from the city, unnecessarily burned up fuel, finding parking, dealing with mouth-breathers, possibly not even finding what it is that is needed, and paying essentially the same amount (give or take). Pretty easy decision.

 

[The Heretic]

I could see a mall being recycled as a small community. With living quarters, grocery/service shops interspersed throughout, clinics/etc., indoor gardens and "parks" because of the very wide thoroughfares.

Done right and maintained/policed right, it could be a nice safer place for those who wish to get out of the homeless encampments. Especially the single moms with families/etc.

Done wrong, just another slum

 

[titsonritz]

Meanwhile, Cameroon gets its first mall...

(watch the video, it is great)
These shoppers in Cameroon used an escalator for the first time and it went exactly how you'd expect

 

[titsonritz]

As to the OP…we have Amazon vs. "Gun Free Zones" that scumbags shoot-up (and that's not the only thing they shoot-up). I think most are going to go with Amazon.

Speaking personally, with the exception for the token overpriced knife shop, malls have never had anything I'm interested in, they could all burn to the ground today and I would not miss a thing.

 

[bigbearbear]

I saw on TV that malls are super popular, especially during Black Friday sales event!

 

[Alexx1401]

I saw on TV that malls are super popular, especially during Black Friday sales event!

That, Black Friday, was one of those "things" I never for the life of me could understand. Love of my life used to set out every time with a couple sisters to join the mobs at these things.
I went one time, long ago. Needed a couple laptops for the big day. Waited till about 12 noon, thinking crowd would be gone. It was one of those years econ was in toilet. Best Buy was so packed I was shocked fire was not telling them they could not let any more in. No one seemed to be buying anything. I found the laptops and had some sales person at my elbow in seconds. I point at one ask "have any?". He came back said yes I said give me 2. He looked shocked a second and off he goes. Took longer to get to the check outs in front through the crowd than the check out. I could not for the life of me figure out why some were sitting in line hour's before the damn thing opened that morning. That was the last time for me.

 

[albin25]

I find it interesting (informative?) that there is never any mention of converting to seniors housing, trade schools, motels, even something like a library/all weather sports center.. or anything productive. First thoughts seem to be always perks for homeless.

But then I also wondered, why there wasn't any monthly "covid bonus" for pensioners.... they incurred additional expense too, and often on less Social security than unemployment benefits pay... oh... and they probably actually would use it to PAY bills.