[blam]

December Consumer Confidence Drops To All-Time Low

[alicewonders]

GOOD!!! I detest malls. Can we please go back to more local businesses and less “big box corporations”?

[oldtimer2]

Park City Center, a mall here in Lancaster, Pa has had trouble this year with their mall wide Gift Card. It is run by American Express and this year they announced that they would only accept a credit card for payment.
I assume AX did not trust them to send payment if it was cash. Park City is owned by General Growth Properties. Their three biggest Malls are for sale. They announced the sales were to enable them to service their debt. Watch out!

[Graybeard58]

They won’t be missing my business, I already avoid malls like the plague.

[Doc Savage]

A "new" Outlet Mall opened up in Pottstown, PA about a year ago. Stores have been closing ever since it opened. On most week days you can hardly find anyone there. Just down the road on 422 is a new mammoth shopping center going in ( Wegman's, Talbots, Gucci, etc.) It is only partially built. My prediction is it will never open. It is only 5-8 minutes from the monster King of Prussia Mall which looks like a ghost town on week days.

The problem is that unless builders are "building" they are NOT working, so they keep right on developing. There are so many office building complexes in the Royersford - Pottstown - Valley Forge area that are vacant it is scary.

[ViLaLuz]

Where will one go to sport a mall-wall ‘do?

[fightinJAG]

I think we are seeing the end of Retail Christmas. People are starting to ratchet back the craziness already; it won’t be long before the gift madness stops as well.

Christmas will become more like Thanksgiving. Basically, a one-day event with a meal, church, and the exchange of a few small gifts. And possibly football.

[PeteePie]

Next on the American landscape: Crack Malls

[Glenn]

I don’t visit the mall much. I’m not a net consumer.

My daughter dragged (drug?) me to our nearest mall at Christmas and I was shocked to see how empty it was. There were plenty of people. Just not that many stores. A couple of Pittsburgh corporations were present there (Dick’s Sporting Goods and American Eagle Outfitters), but many chain stores have made their exit in the last year.

With the rents malls charge, you have to turn a lot of “merch” to make it worth your while to be there. The really high end vendors can’t afford it in a down economy.

I’m really expecting WalMart to become an anchor store in some of these joints.

[cherry]

OT but related.....I know how retailers had “horrible” Christmas seasons...but the dept store/food store near me.....Fred Meyer’s ...had fantastic sales....I know because I asked...the store was very busy and still was busy today.....

[Allegra]

A return to the mom-and-pop storefront shops on Main Street?