malls...

one thing that will always send me into a deep pit of despair is thinking about the death of the american mall, and the decline of brick-and-mortar stores. for so many, it wasn't just about shopping. it was about belonging. meeting friends at the food court, browsing music stores, approaching a crush from school. strolling thru halls with your family on a saturday afternoon and begging to go to the toy store. first dates, first jobs, first tastes of independence. the glow of neon signs, the smell of fresh baked pretzels, the distant echo of laughter bouncing off polished tiles, and the constant pshhhhhhh of the fountains.

the death of the mall is more than just an economic or retail shift - it's a cultural loss. malls were one of the few truly democratic spaces in suburban america. you didnt need a ticket or membership; you could walk in, hang out, and soak in the atmosphere for free. they were places where people of different backgrounds mingled, where generations shared experiences, and where local communities found a sense of place.

in losing malls, we're losing something intangible but vital - a communal third space. a place that wasnt work, wasnt home, but still felt like ours. in the loss of the mall, we are reminded of the fragility of the spaces we take for granted and the need to cherish the ones that remain. and photos - please, god, take photos. photos are all we have (besides memories) of these spaces now. i'd give anything to go back and better cherish what i've lost.

i visited my childhood mall the other day and took some more photos of the sorry state it's in. ill post better photos later; a lot of these were rushed.