The lights are on, but the corridors are empty. The now faint smell from the notorious food court still lingers, but no places remain. No more neon colors flash, and the escalators stand idle. The once most popular place in many cities across the world faces a shutdown. Malls used to be a hangout spot and social place for many, especially, but not only, older millennials. Their memories are bold, but their physical attachment begins to fade as more shopping centers disappear. Online consumption takes over, leaving the world to forget the nostalgia and excitement that once defined this place.
Erik Trilk, English teacher at the high school, is sad to see them go. Trilk grew up spending a lot of his time in malls, as he said, “When I was growing up, we went to the mall every single weekend. That was all we did, my friends and I.” These moments were very memorable for him. Trilk said there was something about the culture that was “awesome,” as it made kids feel like adults; independent and responsible, while also experiencing new social interactions with people. Once a month, Trilk enjoys spending time visiting Lindale Mall, usually inside Locker Room Legends, which is located on the lower level, but not much else, as the complex only provides a handful of stores. Few vendors remain, as several fan favorites have left over the past year, including American Eagle, Foot Locker, Pretzelmaker, and GameStop. Trilk believes that if this continues, the mall will eventually “vanish.” He said, “I will struggle with it being gone because it was a huge part of my life.”
It will not only affect people who grew up in malls, but current teens will also be impacted. Carmendy Frost, sophomore, enjoys spending time inside Lindale Mall, with her favorite stores being Buckle, Bath & Body Works, and American Eagle, until it recently closed. Frost enjoys shopping, but the closure of her favorite stores has prevented her from taking these trips. “I now have to drive 30 minutes to two hours to go to the stores I want to go to because they’ve all closed down.” She remembers there being a Justice, Younkers, and Sears at Lindale earlier on, which were originally popular stores. As more and more loved places leave, many people stop going, including Frost.
The reason for these closures around the country is attributed to many factors: rent, location, advertisement, and technology. Devices give individuals many opportunities, just by clicking a button. As a result, it has become a preferred method worldwide for getting the items one needs delivered right to one’s door. As Trilk said, “I understand that online retail has replaced everything, because it’s easier to have it delivered.” The mall has gotten far less popular than it used to be, even compared to a few years ago.
The downfall of malls only goes further, and digs into a hole deeper than they can get out of. Society has found other ways to socialize and purchase what they want. People no longer need to go out, so why would they? But those who grew up with malls grieve the loss, as it once felt like it was a part of them emotionally, though whole communities are torn, too. The only thing that lingers are the memories and nostalgia, a feeling and idea that no further generations will get to experience, and nothing will replace them.
