Is Mall Culture Coming Back?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: People walk through the Westfield World Trade Center shopping mall at the World Trade Center complex, which is located on the land where…

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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.

10 Classic Ben & Jerry’s Flavors Inspired by Celebrities

Ben & Jerry's has been a freezer section staple for decades and rightfully so. The ice cream brand has stood out among its competitors thanks to its unique flavors and pint packaging designs.

Ben & Jerry's has also been at the forefront of partnering with and honoring a number of celebrities over the years. In fact, the first celebrity-inspired flavor they ever launched was Cherry Garcia in 1987. Cherry Garcia, of course, was a nod to legendary Grateful Dead co-founder/singer/songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Jerry Garcia.

Most of the Ben & Jerry's celebrity collaborations have had charity partnerships, which further supports the brand's reputation for activism. Many charities have benefitted from these partnerships, which we explore below.

In honor of Jerry Garcia's birthday today (August 1), here are ten classic Ben & Jerry's flavors inspired by celebrities. Grab a spoon and dig into our list!

Jerry Garcia

Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia flavor was first launched in 1987. It remains one of the brand’s biggest-selling flavors of all time. Since Jerry Garcia was diabetic, profits from the sale of Cherry Garcia have gone to various Diabetes charities.

Stephen Colbert

Scott Wintrow/Getty Images

Stephen Colbert’s AmeriCone Dream was first introduced in 2007 when the comedian was still hosting ‘The Colbert Report.’ The ice cream flavor gets its name from having fudge-covered waffle cone pieces. Since its launch, all profits have gone to the Stephen Colbert AmeriCone Dream Fund, which benefits a number of charities assisting veterans, children in need, environmental causes and more. So far, this flavor has raised over $4 million for charity.

Ron Burgundy

Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Okay, so Ron Burgundy is a character and not a celebrity, but how could we not mention his flavor Scotchy Scotch Scotch? This flavor was a limited release to coincide with the release of ‘Anchorman 2.’ And no, the ice cream didn’t taste like Burgundy’s favorite spirit; it was a butterscotch ice cream with ribbons of butterscotch swirl.

Elton John

Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Sir Elton’s flavor of Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road was also a limited edition flavor. When it was released in 2008, the flavor was described as “an outrageous symphony of decadent chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks.” Like with many celebrity collaborations, profits from the sale of Goodby Yellow Brickle Road went to charity. In this instance, the profits went to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Willie Nelson

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Willie Nelson’s Country Peach Cobbler flavor features cinnamon-sugar shortbread pieces and a peach swirl mixed in with peach ice cream. Profits from its sale went to Farm Aid, which provides assistance to family farmers in the United States.

Monty Python

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

The flavor honoring the legendary comedy group was aptly named Vermonty Python, which is a nod to the home state headquarters of Ben & Jerry’s. On sale from 2006-2008, Vermonty Python is one of many flavors that rests in the Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard, with its epitaph noting its flavor profile being “Coffee liqueur ice cream with chocolate cookie crumb swirl & fudge cows.”

John Lennon

Evening Standard/Getty Images

Ben & Jerry’s love of classic rock grew with the launch of the John Lennon-inspired flavor Imagine Whirled Peace. The flavor has a caramel and sweet cream ice cream base with toffee cookie pieces and chunks of fudge in the shape of peach signs. Sales of Imagine Whirled Peace benefitted Peace One Day, a non-profit organization that aims to spread peace around the world.

Queen

Ian Tyas/Keystone/Getty Images

Another limited edition flavor, Bohemian Raspberry was released in 2006 in honor of Queen with profits benefitting the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the organization founded by the members of Queen in honor of their late singer Freddie Mercury. The organization provides aid and support to AIDS charities and other efforts around the world. As the name would suggest, the vanilla based ice cream features a raspberry swirl and fudge brownie chunks.

Phish

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

One of Ben & Jerry’s most iconic celebrity flavors, Phish Food is a chocolate ice cream with marshmallow, caramel swirls and fudge pieces shaped like fish. Proceeds from the sale of Phish Food go toward environmental efforts supported by Vermont’s Waterwell Foundation.

Jimmy Fallon

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for American Museum of Natural History

This Ben & Jerry’s flavor honoring ‘Tonight Show’ host Jimmy Fallon is cleverly called The Tonight Dough. (Get it?!) The flavor features a caramel and chocolate ice cream base with a chocolate cookie swirls and chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough and peanut butter cookie dough. Proceeds from sales of The Tonight Dough benefit SeriousFun Children’s Network, which provides support to camps around the world for children with serious illnesses.

King Of Prussia Shopping Small Towns

Taylor BrookeEditor