Flashback to the Timeless Malls of the 1980s

The mall was once a host to leisure and wonder. These pictures from the era of the ’80s will take you back once again to the times when it absolutely was perfectly acceptable to ask your parents to drop you off at the mall for the afternoon and spend the afternoon with friends and family, shopping, playing Pac-Man and eating greasy food. If you were lucky, the mall might have a waterworks or something different spectacular to draw people in and make sure they are want to visit over and over. https://time.com/3805133/flashback-to-the-timeless-malls-of-the-1980s/

The heyday of the mall was between 1956 and 1990 when over 1,500 malls built in accordance with Gruen’s or Jerde’s models dotted the landscape. These places were imagined as modern, idealized town centers for segregated suburbanites. These were an option to the noise, chaos and squalor of city streets. Malls offered the promise of a well-lit, safe and sanitary environment, a centralized location with a wide selection of stores and a main park area to bring people together.

Many also included movie theaters, video arcades and junk food eateries to appeal to teenagers. These were designed for one-stop shopping, but they truly became an iconic meeting area for young Americans. Movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure positioned them in popular culture as places to see and be seen, and where even the strongest of personalities couldn’t withstand the lure of sporting goods stores and Mrs. Fields cookies.

Malls began to decline in the 1990’s when the internet exploded and online shopping began taking off. But even while the trend toward online purchasing continued, malls were still able to attract shoppers. Associated with that while many of the items that after made a visit to the mall necessary such as for instance clothes and appliances are now able to be purchased on the net, malls continue to offer food, entertainment and services that can’t easily be replicated on the web.

This includes personal service, like getting fitted for a new couple of glasses or having your vehicle cleaned. Additionally, it entails many different entertainment options that can’t be easily replicated, including live music and curated experiences.

Regardless of the current state of malls, they have an extended history of embracing change and adapting to an ever-changing world. They have reframed their roles as more than just retail locations, and the future looks bright for these unique, socially connected spaces. The only real question is perhaps the mall’s role could eventually be reduced to selling issues that can quickly be purchased on the internet. Or can it reinvent itself again, as a place for community and culture? The clear answer will likely be both.