Before malls, in the 60s, there were “shopping centers,” a pedestrian strip of retail stores away from the basic roadside. You parked and walked from one store to the next. Soon these grew and began to develop enclosed attractions, like miniature golf courses and such. Then, food outlets. And that’s how malls began. Once fully enclosed, as malls are usually defined, they began to attract idle kids who had no real reason to be there except social grouping. And that was the beginning of the end — probably around 1980. Now, back to outdoor shopping centers. Retail has come full cycle.
I had to go to a mall one Saturday evening…..
…teeming with teens just hanging out……I now avoid them except weekday mornings if needed .
……
Malls were big all through the Eighties and paced at Christmas time.
Teen Mall Rats weren’t a big problem when adults were still going to malls.