We didn’t have malls when I grew up....................;^)
Malls are the invention of central planners. Zoning committees hate liberty and Zoning Departments are fully staffed with true believer central planners. They’re losers who can’t bear to see you win.
They killed the corner store, but now that bicycle riding and “buy local” are back in style, they’re reconsidering their original planning.
Government is behind most of the mess of the 20th century, as are crony capitalists.