Is Mall Culture Coming Back?
Exploring the Revival of Suburban Hangouts
Malls are making a comeback. At least, they are for me. Over the past year, I’ve found myself wandering around brick-and-mortar stores more than ever, and most of those stores just so happen to be located in malls. Why? Because there’s something magical about the mall that online shopping just can’t replicate. It’s like Taylor Swift said in evermore, “we were like the mall before the internet, it was the one place to be.” And let me tell you, I am so back at the mall, embracing the nostalgia, the food court vibes, and, yes, even the overpriced stores (but also, Primark, where dreams come true).
Remember when the mall was the place to be? It was our social network before the internet. We spent hours just walking around, trying on clothes that were way too expensive for our high school budgets, or getting a giant pretzel and scrolling through the latest issues of Seventeen magazine at Barnes & Noble. Malls were the center of our universe, and now, with digital shopping dominating the scene for years, the mall has taken a backseat. But guess what? It’s slowly creeping back into our lives, and I’m here for it.
There’s a charm to mall shopping that online shopping just can’t touch. The thrill of aimlessly strolling from one store to the next, the sound of your steps echoing off the polished floors, and the occasional “should I try that on?” moment that leads to either a YES, take my money or NO, I am not paying $150 for that sweater. Plus, you get to people-watch. It’s the best kind of passive entertainment.
And while malls might have been overshadowed by the convenience of online shopping for a while, I’m finding a resurgence of foot traffic in the suburban shopping centers, and it’s refreshing. Whether it’s because we crave the tactile experience of feeling fabrics, the human interaction (hello, mall walkers!), or the pure joy of trying on clothes with no shipping fees involved, we’re starting to realize that nothing beats the experience of being in a real store—especially when the mall has everything you could need under one roof.
So, Is Mall Culture Coming Back?
So, next time you find yourself aimlessly scrolling through Instagram or feeling burnt out from Amazon Prime deliveries, consider a trip to your nearest mall. The food court is waiting, the stores are stocked, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of being surrounded by racks of clothes you can actually touch ( and buy!).Malls might just be the next big hangout spot again, and I’m ready for it. I’ll see you in the food court, grabbing a pretzel and pretending to be rich for an hour.
