A Blast From The Past: 60 Pictures From A Shopping Mall In The Summer Of 1990

Ned Hardy ^ | May 13, 2013

[2ndDivisionVet]

You won't believe how much has changed since then. Notice anything peculiar (other than the fashions) in some of these photos? (Many photos at link)

[Tammy8]

I only go to the mall when I have to but last time I was at one about 2 months ago there was no one anywhere except the food court, it was a Saturday too. My daughters and I walked around and it was eerie. Not sure how they are keeping the stores open that still are open.

[MV=PY]

No metal detectors
No TSA at the entrances
No one asking for your papers
No military “guards”
No rationing tickets
No prayer carpets

Whoops! I was comparing it to tomorrow...

[Secret Agent Man]

don’t get me wrong, some malls do very well and have kept themselves from going to hell. some are in obvious decline, and may still be a safe place to shop. some are declining and are getting more danerous to shop at. some are barely hanging on. the mall in my hometown where i went to high school and frequented then, is in decline and not doing well.

some are okay. the ones not on bus lines, have cheap jewelry and hair extension stores, and don’t have movie theaters attached to them, are in general doing better than malls who have one or more of those characteristics i mentioned above.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

At least the glam bands sounded like they were having fun. Grunge was nothing but endless music-esque bitching and moaning from petulant, drugged-out children. The whole decade was a cultural wasteland, really (with some notable exceptions).

My favorite rock being made now is instrumental. Probably because I grew so tired of listening to narcissistic whining vocals during the 90s.

[Beowulf9]

Haven’t seen that many shags since I went to the disco.

[Viennacon]

I don’t know if you could even call those vocals. To this day, I do not know what the hell Nirvana were singing in Smells Like Teen Spirit.

[Teacher317]

There are two kinds of malls in America. The ones where the white people go, and the ones where white people used to go.

(Can't call me racist, I'm quoting Chris Rock.)

[cynwoody]

Major differences are (1) nobody walking down the hall on the phone and (2) no big flat-screen monitors.

Other than that, I don't see much difference.

[RedMonqey]

To this day, I do not know what the hell Nirvana were singing in Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Unwashed teenagers.

It was "Grunge" after all/s

[jmacusa]

‘’Not a single cell phone in sight’’< How did we ever survive?(sar.) Seriously though, look how much we’ve changed.

[dfwgator]

One major difference between the heavy metal hair bands and grunge is that the hair bands were unabashedly male (aside from the long hair and makeup).

LOL, reminds me of the classic Beavis and Butthead exchange, while they were watching a Poison video:

Beavis: Whoa these chicks are hot
Butthead: Are these chicks or dudes?
Beavis: Whoa,I don't know
Butthead: Well they better be chicks dammit because they're giving me a woody.

[doorgunner69]

So, do ya still remember how to adjust the points on a car, or what the dwell was?

[2ndDivisionVet]

I wasn’t a mechanic then and I ain’t one now. I don’t even change the oil.

[windcliff]

ping

[dr_lew]

We play vinyl records for our grandkids on occasion, and the collection is prominently on view for them, along with the turntable, so I can just imagine them in the future bragging that they know all about them. It’s quite a ritual putting one on and playing it, and they are physically distinctive, so they do make an impression.

[ThomasThomas]

So, do ya still remember how to adjust the points on a car, or what the dwell was?

Where you get da water.

[dr_lew]

All questions are answered in Weird Al’s Smells like Nirvana.

[dr_lew]

The dwell was um, ah ... well, I never worried about that. I just replaced the points if my Pinto wouldn’t start.

[RedMonqey]

Rotary Phones..
Cars with manual shift transmissions with shifters on the steering column....
Stingray bikes with banana seats and sissy bars.. ..


And playing outdoors for hours without Mom worrying what you were doing..

I would HATE to be a kid today having to leave the house with a cell phone
Once I was out of the house I and my friends were FREE to play for hours until the sun started to set.

These kids are chained to Mom's apron strings by that damned doodad...And they don't realize it..

[dalereed]

1990 sure isn’t the past!!!