Anybody else miss physical retail stores and thriving malls?

[Blue carpet]

I guess this mostly nostalgia talking but I grew up in a era where physical retail was all we had and the internet really wasn't much of a thing I'm talking mostly late 80's and 90's. I understand how great and easy online shopping is these days. But I look back and miss when malls weren't dying and there was so many stores to go to and explore also you had real arcades to play and you never knew when a new machine was going to pop up. I miss that time it almost doesn't feel real because of how much the world has changed there's so many dead stores I miss.

 

That mall glow

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Blue carpet

[universetwisters]

Where tf are you at because the malls here in Florida are poppin. My friend and I go to the different malls in Orlando and Jacksonville and Daytona to go squishmallow hunting and it’s always popping there

 

But then again, the mall in my hometown was so dead, they used it as a film set for that Wonder Woman movie and then they tore it down to build condos so idk maybe Florida is immune to the same issues the rest of the world is 

[Tacymist]

The last mall I went to was abandoned, but I heard they were giving covid shots there so I got one.

[44Orca]

We still have those in my country, I visit them some times, but I usually buy online. They also have internet cafes there and many other things like comics, TV's and such in those same places so people see everything.

There's way too many people daily at the Mall, every time I go there it's full of people.

[Blue carpet]

4 hours ago, universetwisters said:

Where tf are you at because the malls here in Florida are poppin. My friend and I go to the different malls in Orlando and Jacksonville and Daytona to go squishmallow hunting and it’s always popping there

 

But then again, the mall in my hometown was so dead, they used it as a film set for that Wonder Woman movie and then they tore it down to build condos so idk maybe Florida is immune to the same issues the rest of the world is 

I'm around NY most of the malls I grew up with are dying or dead except for 2 of them it's mostly clothing stores that are surviving in those malls Canadian shoppers are also keeping those malls more alive because it's not far from the border and cheaper here.

[Jason]

Never really had those mega malls in the UK, the closest thing where I live is still open.

 

That said, more and more clothes stores have been replaced by food/drink places, gyms, barbers/salons and other beauty places. Clothes stores still exist but in the UK they're either in the major cities or out of town shopping centres, which makes it difficult just to nip into town, look about, try clothes on, etc, they've all pushed people to online shopping instead.

 

Also the lack of arcades these days sucks too. With you on that one.

[ddarko12]

My university was not very far from a very high-end outdoor mall and I went there pretty much almost every day after or in between classes (I know, should've been studied, but I made good grades!). There was definitely something fun about it. After the pandemic hit, it's never been the same. So many stores closed, they are constantly changing and it's depressing. Plenty of people still go because it's a high-end mall, but if even high-end malls are struggling, everything else must be floundering. A lot of people don't really seem to hang out at the mall anymore either. It's mostly just people coming in and picking up their online orders or something. I don't see lines of super cars anymore either. I mean, go to Bal Harbor, Dallas or Rodeo sure but seriously, I used to see Ferrari combos often but nobody comes out anymore.

Edited March 14, 2023 by ddarko12

[Exsanguination]

The one near me started to get pretty bad for a while and I thought it was done but fortunately in the past few years it has been rebounding quite well… there’s a sweet retro video game/ toy store that even has a small arcade. Other cool stores have moved in like a skateboard place and others. I’m in the eastern US. 

[Captain Spiff]

Woodland and Rivertown here in GR are still going pretty strong

[universetwisters]

Does anyone remember how blockbusters used to smell like buttery movie popcorn? I also remember Hollywood Video smelling the same.

 

Id pay so much money to have a system like that hooked up in my house y’all have no idea 

[Blue carpet]

1 hour ago, universetwisters said:

Does anyone remember how blockbusters used to smell like buttery movie popcorn? I also remember Hollywood Video smelling the same.

 

Id pay so much money to have a system like that hooked up in my house y’all have no idea 

I know that smell you are talking about it I hope someday in the future they can replicate it in VR.

[universetwisters]

1 minute ago, Blue carpet said:

I know that smell you are talking about it I hope someday in the future they can replicate it in VR.

I just wanna know how it’s done, like if they pump it though the HVAC system or if it’s a whole nother way it’s done mechanically 

[Blue carpet]

9 minutes ago, universetwisters said:

I just wanna know how it’s done, like if they pump it though the HVAC system or if it’s a whole nother way it’s done mechanically 

I found a candle online that suppose to smell like it, pricey but got pretty good reviews.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/883488664/video-store-scented-hand-poured-100-soy?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=blockbuster+candle&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&frs=1&bes=1&organic_search_click=1

 

Scent Profile: Popcorn - Carpet - VHS
• Top Notes: Butter, Carpet Fibers, Dust, Sugar
• Mid Notes: Popcorn, VHS Box
• Base Notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood

 

[universetwisters]

I’d buy that if I wasn’t petrified of open flames

[ṼirulenⱦEqừinox]

3 hours ago, universetwisters said:

Does anyone remember how blockbusters used to smell like buttery movie popcorn? I also remember Hollywood Video smelling the same.

 

Id pay so much money to have a system like that hooked up in my house y’all have no idea 

If you really want too you kind of can, Buy one of those movie-style popcorn carts and get buttered-flavor popcorn oil 

 

But they're not exactly cheap that one there is $230 but they do have smaller ones and counter top ones

[Failed Again]

I love malls:  It starts Hopping at 18 second mark

Wear orange get a free soda?

Edited March 15, 2023 by Failed Again

[Death]

At least in my city, considered an industrial capital, shopping malls and retail stores have grown significantly rather than shrunk over time. 

 

An HEB near my house still maintains the early 2000s arcade game center, as others are also frequently visited around the city. I have a lot of memories of that HEB because it used to have a Blockbuster inside, and there was also a store I used to visit to develop images from the old cameras.

[universetwisters]

On 3/14/2023 at 11:10 PM, Death said:

a lot of memories of that HEB because it used to have a Blockbuster inside

wtf blockbuster existed as a store within a store aswell? This is genuinely news to me, all the blockbusters I know of were standalone

[Blue carpet]

I also miss gaming kiosks I like the designs of some of them I still remember seeing in my local Sears store the original sonic the hedgehog my little mind was blown.

 

 

[Moonshine Wagon Fan]

My nearest shopping centre is always busy.  I mainly go there as Gamestop have a shop there (staff there are super).  There's also a sportswear shop there so I always checkout what sneakers and shorts they have.  Also, a trip to a mall is a great way to pass time.

[Blue carpet]

18 hours ago, Covered Wagon Fan said:

My nearest shopping centre is always busy.  I mainly go there as Gamestop have a shop there (staff there are super).  There's also a sportswear shop there so I always checkout what sneakers and shorts they have.  Also, a trip to a mall is a great way to pass time.

It sure is it's also good for exercise when the weather is bad outside especially in the Winter.

[GTA-Biker]

Malls only started to appear in the 2000s where I live,and they're still full of people going there to buy stuff.

 

The thing I miss from my childhood are video stores.I loved renting movies when I was a kid in the late 90s and 2000s.I'd still occassionally rent them as an adult,even though by 2010 only a handful of video stores were left in town,and the last one in my neighborhood unfortunately closed down in 2020.

What I liked about going to the video store was the feeling of chosing a movie based only on the VHS/DVD box cover,and a short description and maybe a few screenshots on the back of the box,if you picked a good movie the fact that you made the right choice made it even better.Also the fact that I could go to one place and find pretty much any movie,as opposed to streaming services where some movies are only on Netflix, others are only on Disney+, others on HBO Max, etc.

[Voodoo]

I miss the arcades for sure but I'm so spoiled by online shopping and home delivery at this point that if malls were even a thing here, I don't know if I could be arsed to even visit one again. Modern convenience has made me a truly lazy f*ck.

 

 

[Straypuft]

3 malls were near me, 1 razed and turned into an amazon warehouse, 1 shut down and is being converted into an office building complex, just one left, bus isnt allowed to enter the property anymore.

[Blue carpet]

 Here's a pretty decent short mall documentary if anybody is interested.

 

[.Ryan.]

There’s still some where I live.

 

As much as I enjoy the convenience of online shopping I still like to going into actual shops especially for video games and movies.

 

When buying clothes I always prefer going in store.

[HenriqueV5]

It makes no sense, why leave home when you can buy everything on the Internet?
The only stores that make sense to exist physically are clothing stores and restaurants.

 

But yes, the vibe of the crowded malls was good.

Edited March 23, 2023 by HenriqueV5

[handy_fox]

I prefer to buy in person because I can have it as soon as I buy it rather than having to wait and pay for shipping. I used to go to the mall for the arcade but after the currency thing took off, I slowly stopped going. That was probably around 2012 or so.

[LongHairedFreakyGuy]

On 3/22/2023 at 6:08 PM, Blue carpet said:

 Here's a pretty decent short mall documentary if anybody is interested.

 

 

Proper Last Of Us vibes from that thumbnail alone.

 

As to echo others, I grew up in a small village so we only really had the high streets to do our shopping in. The closest thing we had to an actual mall was just classed as a shopping centre/arcade, which back then were just as good, and was always like a treat for me on the weekend to go down with my sister or a friend and just browse the various shops - Clothes, Games, Music and just any other random crap, everything could be found that we wanted. Was always followed by going to the local Blockbusters/Choices with the parents, where they'd rent 2 films for the night, and I was allowed to rent out a game or two for the weekend, which was just amazing back then, been surrounded by so much choice and having to select based purely on the box alone. Argos was like the original Amazon too, where it seemed like just about anything could be ordered in (I know it still exists but I meant for back then).

 

We still have a shopping centre in my local city (The Broadway in Bradford), but I absolutely despise going there, and probably have only been like once or twice, and that's only by necessity rather than just for a day out, absolutely horrible experience. I do however enjoy the White Rose in Leeds.

 

I do enjoy visiting the few remaining high street stores - maybe it's nostalgia alone, but online shopping just comes nowhere near been surrounded by actual items in a shop, though these days I've replaced games shopping (since it's pretty much only CEX or GAME) with book charity shops, which is to blame for my ever growing library, which right now stands at about 500 books.

 

Heh, I get times have changed, but it's sad to see that high streets these days are pretty much barber shops, vape shops or takeaways around me. I do enjoy supporting lone businesses.

[Bobs Pizza]

The Broad Street Mall in Reading, Berkshire was amazing back in the 1990s and people would travel to Reading just to go shopping from other small towns nearby because our high street was probably the best in South East England without having to go into London