Malls were once dominant symbols of communities but are now in decline. Shopping malls are seeing decreased attendance as online shopping rises and consumer habits change. The author visited a local mall, Eastern Hills Mall, and found mostly empty parking lots and closed stores. However, on a recent weekend for Christmas shopping the lot was fuller. To survive, malls may need to reinvent themselves as multi-purpose community centers with services beyond just shopping.

1. Malls: A Thing of the Past or Reinvented
for the Future?
Joshua Mandaville
Community Studies-Soc. 270- Fall 2017
Photo Walk Slide Show

2. What is the Significance of Malls
Today and Where are They Headed?
Shopping Malls, are they the signature structures of
the age or dying structures of the past, with the
hope and potential of being reinvented as social
multipurpose centers for the future ?

3. Palen’s Thoughts
 Palen states that as the skyscraper was the dominant
symbol of the twentieth century, “the dominant symbol
for the early decades of the twenty-first century is the
shopping mall.”
 He also states that the larger malls have become both
social as well as retail locations. They have become town
centers and main streets of the suburbs, that they are
located in.
 Palen also quotes Kowinski by stating that, “more that
locations for consumption, malls have become the
signature structure of the age.”

4. Why Discuss the Significance
and the Future of Malls?
Over the past several years there has been much discussion
about the future of malls and their significance to the
communities in which they are located and belong.
The discussion has been about the decline in the attendance
to malls, the decline in consumerism within the malls, and the
closing of some major mainline stores.
This has been particularly significant to the Eastern Hills Mall,
a mall that I have gone to my whole life and that has been the
center of shopping for many years.
If Palen describes these malls as the dominant symbol of the
twenty-first century, could one of our local malls be the
exception to this statement and the only local exception ?
What is in the future for this mall ?

5. The History of the Eastern Hills Mall
 The mall opened in 1971 with
996,729 sq. feet
 Ideal central location on a well
traveled road
 The surrounding community
contains people making average
to above average salaries, in the
$100,00 range
 The mall was always seen as a
shopping complex as well as a
social setting for the surrounding
community
 In 2009, Russell Fulton(who
spent 20 yrs at the Walden
Galleria, came to the mall and
kept occupancy at 100% despite
the declines in attendance

6. Malls in America…in Crisis
Since 2002 there have been 448,000 jobs lost in department stores
By the year 2022 there is an estimate that 1 of 4 shopping malls will
close there doors and be out of business…some estimate it at 1 of 3
Stores such as Macy’s, Sears, JCPenney announce job cuts and closures
 Most recently just over this Thanksgiving season, BonTon annouced the
closing of stores and the lay off of employees
Also announced over this shopping season, so far spending seems to be
good, with most major retail stores reporting strong sales. The one poor
showing was the sales at Malls

7. Decline and the Reasons Why…
 In one article, Sanburn states that
we in America have been “over-
retailed” and that at some point
there had to be and “adjustment”
and this decline in malls is a
reflection of that truth. If you look
at the number of stores that
surround the malls we are
definitely over retailed. Could the
number of choices for us to shop,
be a reason for the mall declines?

8. Decline…cont’
 Secondly, in the US we are busy over
booked people who rush from
activity to activity and we don’t have
the time to leisurely shop in the mall
as people once did. They went to the
mall to socialize and meet friends,
go to lunch, go to a movie, meet for
a date, or go to the arcade. Socially
have we changed that much?
 A third reason for us to not be at a
mall is that if we need something
these days we go and get it and go on
to the next activity. We don’t
leisurely walk the mall. I noticed
this as the cars were plentiful on the
roads, but not at the Mall.

9. Decline cont’
 In this age of the internet,
another reason is that people can
sit in the non- stress atmospheres
of their own homes, in their
pajamas, at any time of the day
or night, and shop for anything
they need or want without
looking for parking spots or
fighting crowds
 Another positive of the internet
and a reason for mall decline, is
the ability for us to find the
“best deal” that we can find,
allowing us to pay less and get
more bang for our buck

10. A Visit to the Mall… Where are the cars?
 Upon arriving to the mall the lack of
shoppers based on the empty parking
lot was evident
 Although this photo is from the visit
that I made to the Eastern Hills Mall
on October 1, 2017 at about noon, a
follow up visit this past weekend
(due to Christmas shopping) showed
me that given a purpose, people
WILL visit the mall. A photo from this
most recent visit would have shown a
relatively full parking lot
 Were the people kept away on this
October day due to the unusually
warm sunny weather? Was it because
it was a Sunday? Or was this a
typically day at the Mall?

11. Where are the People?
 If Malls are seen as the center of
towns and the main streets of
America, according to Palen,
where are the people?
 What makes this mall the
exception …or is it?
 There are plenty of places to
meet, sit, and enjoy time together.

12.  Grabbing a snack or a
lunch together, going to a
movie or just leisurely
spend time in the mall
setting are still available
options.
Yet there are empty tables
and benches throughout

13. There Are Plenty of Cars, Where Are
They All Going?
 Were there shoppers just not at
the mall ? Were they at other
stores?
 As I drove up and down Transit
Road, I noticed the many
shopping alternatives,
restaurants, movie theater and
places to meet.
 Could this be where the people
are?
 Is this an example of over
retailing?

14. Missing Stores…
 Also noticeable were the stores
that used to be open…now closed.
 There were several that looked
like this…
 Throughout my visit, I did notice
more people arriving as I left and I
saw them sitting and talking at Tim
Horton’s and a few even having
lunch. There were approximately
50 people with in the mall.
 Over this past weekend, the tables
in the food court were taken,
benches were being sat on, people
were shopping and enjoying time
together

15. Current Layout of the Mall and Stores
 This layout of the mall and
stores is a little out of date on
this diagram due to the closure
of the Macy’s which was
replaced by Niagara Emporium,
which sells antiques.
 There are several smaller
owned stores and ones focused
on fitness, relaxation, specialty
items, card and game playing
and etc…
 A little bit of something for
everyone….

16. Saving Our Mall
What can be done to save the failing mall? The idea that any
community needs a meeting place, or a community area was an
important observation. It is suggested that most suburban areas lack
such a place. That is precisely what is suggested for this mall space.
The space would be transformed into an area that would not only
have shopping, but have other areas that would serve as ”a town
center that serves as both a social and economic hub” , including high
end stores, restaurants, office space, more green space and possibly
even living space or a hotel. The availability of parking and great
locations are definite assets to this mall space. In the article Death of
a Mall, Bleuer said, “The hard part is that some of it would simply
have to be removed to create corridors, pedestrian ways and vistas.”

17. Possible Multi-Use Models
 The answer might lie in the diagram
to the left. The top picture is that of
the Eastern Hills mall complex and
the bottom is the Crocker Park
lifestyle complex in Westlake, Ohio,
in which a multipurpose approach
was implemented.
 Jim Callahan, Clarence director of
community development, briefly
spoke to what the future of a
multipurpose facility would look like,
as well as what components of that
plan could serve as anchors to the
malls stability.

18. Relating a Photo Walk to Palen and The
Urban World Content
In the article, Death of a Mall, some terms that Palen explores in his book
were mentioned. We have studied and read the word Urbanism, defined on
page 9, as the socio cultural consequence of living in urban places. The
article referenced “New Urbanism” which was explored later on in the later
chapters. Also, we have learned about “sprawl” and how it is used to refer to
the auto dependent, low density housing areas that take place outside the
metropolitan area. The article discussed “’New Urbanism’, a planning and
design movement that seeks to reduce traffic congestion by encouraging the
population to ride bikes or walk, doing so through creating a system of
densely populated mixed-use properties that can reduce suburban sprawl.”
This is part of the redevelopment focus of the mall. In observing these topics
and rereading the information it helped me to bring life to the readings and
see how businesses have to plan certain strategies for things to be successful
within the community. Real life application of the topics from Palen helps me
to see how the terms apply to real life situations.

19. Concluding Remarks…
 There are some things that Palen states that are somewhat questionable to me as I
wrap up my thoughts on the decline of the Malls in America. Palen states that Malls
are the dominate symbol of the twenty-first century. Since we are still at the very
beginning of the twenty-first century, I believe it is much more valid to say that this
statement is true more so of the twentieth century. The research shows that the mall
culture of America started it’s decline as early as the year 2002.
There is validity of the statement by Palen describing the shopping mall as not only
a retail center but a social center as well. The idea of making the mall an even more
valuable center of the community is a valid point. I noticed myself that when people
have a reason, a purpose to attend the mall they will make time and go. If there are a
variety of stores along with other purposes for a mall area, then people will have a
variety of reasons to be in that space. Rather than to just abandon the space and
make it insignificant in today’s communities, changing it’s purpose and complexion is
a great solution
Also, I just wonder if, as all “new things” they are all the rage at first, but then the
negatives of them come out and we return to some of the ideas of before. The
internet is really strong now and we buy a lot that way, but will consumers want to
experience shopping again, trying on the clothes, picking out the items, enjoying the
experience with friends. If so will the Malls last until that time comes?

20. References
Palen, J. John. The urban world. Oxford Univ. Press, 2015.
Powers, Ethan. “Death of a Mall.” Clarence Bee, 8 Feb. 2017,
www.clarencebee.com/news/2017-02-08/Front_Page/Death_of_a_Mall.html#.
Sanburn, Josh. “America's Malls and Department Stores Are Dying Off.” Time, Time,
20 July 2017, time.com/4865957/death-and-life-shopping-mall/.
http://time.com/4865957/death-and-life-shopping-mall/
https://www.google.com/search?q=map+of+the+Eastern+Hills+Mall&source=lnms&tb
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