Apparently, Malls Aren't Totally Washed Just Yet

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We've completely shit on the mall for a while now and the department stores that typically anchor them have seen their fair share of troubles lately as well. But The Daily Beast took a closer look at how the endangered mall has actually regained its foothold. Naturally, a lot of this uncovers the reality of the situation rather than getting carried away with hyperbole like we tend to do because, for us, malls are utterly irrelevant. The last time I was in one was to see a movie at the attached theater and almost all the stores were virtually empty.

While some estimate that around 150 more malls will shut down in the next ten years, many have apparently recovered from the recession and are doing quite well. That's because, contrary to popular belief, a good portion of every age group still prefers to shop in person rather than online. The suburbs used to be the hotbed for big, sprawling malls, but more and more of them are showing up in big cities. The structure of the mall is also changing: Rather than fully enclosed, almost suffocating buildings, the new mall is outdoor, open air and almost, like, a town within a town. It's all much more comfortable, even with online shopping cutting into sales. Nothing is stopping you from putting together your next crew of mall rats.

[Photo via Visit Saint Paul]

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