The document summarizes trends in American consumerism and retail from the 1920s to today. It describes the peak of conspicuous consumption in the Roaring Twenties, followed by hardship during the Great Depression. Post-war, advertising and suburban expansion drove a revival in consumerism. Malls replaced downtown stores as suburbs and car ownership grew. Recently, "big box" retailers and online shopping have challenged traditional malls.

1. Now what?
Epilogue

2. The Roaring Twenties
* Peak of the conspicuous consumption
* Marxist term
* Buying expensive things to prove your wealth
* The age of getting what you want
* Mass production
* Prohibition and bootleggers
* Jazz
* Etc.

3. Progressives and Muckrakers
* Revealed unscrupulous business practices
* Sweatshops
* Bribery
* Corruption
* Maltreatment

4. Hard Times
* The Great Depression
* Poverty
* Disillusionment
* War
* Rationing
* But hey, advertising works
* Industry boom

5. And…We’re Back!
* Advertising revival
* Television!
* Dominant world economy
* Suburban movement
* Wealthy white families
* 1950’s – Suburban population overtakes other regions
* Car explosion

6. Let’s Go to the Mall
* Downtown department stores
replaced by malls
* Consumers in the suburbs, stores
in the suburbs
* Convenient
* Free parking
* Mall of America
* 500+ stores
* 20,000 parking spaces
* 4.3 miles of storefront
* Aquarium
* 14 screen multiplex
* Amusement park

7. What next?
* “Big Box” retailers
* “Retail Darwinism”
* Only one mall has been built since 2006
* Online shopping