“Malls were a place to hang out, especially when I was younger. They were really fun,’” Biology and Study Skills teacher Alison Winnen said.
“When I grew up, a lot more kids used to hang out at malls. We would go to the movie theaters in the mall, and then we would have lunch at the food court,” Social Studies teacher Jaime Garcia Dealba said.
Recently, Mall nostalgia posts have gone viral on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, showing crowded malls in the ‘90s bustling with people dressed up just to shop. Today, however, going to the mall is seen as an errand rather than an experience.
Malls have been a quintessential part of American culture for decades, serving as a center for shopping, eating, and socialization. However, over the past couple of years, they have been facing a steep decline in popularity.
Between 2017 and 2022, an average of 1,170 shopping malls closed each year. If this trend continues, up to 87% of malls in the U.S. could be shut down over the next 10 years.
The biggest shopping center in San Francisco, San Francisco Centre, has been losing retailers at a rapid rate. It was formerly known as Westfield, but the Westfield Corporation gave up its lease in 2023 due to declining popularity. Recent closures in the past few years include staple stores like Nordstrom, Banana Republic, Foot Locker, and a five-story Bloomingdale’s.
A popular place to shop and hang out for M-A students, the Hillsdale Shopping Center, faces a similar reduction in shoppers. Developer Bohannon Properties submitted plans, which are currently in the application stage, aiming to demolish most of the mall in favor of affordable housing and offices under the Housing Crisis Act.
One leading cause of the decline in in-person shopping was the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic kept people away from in-person shopping, online shopping became a more convenient and enjoyable option for many. Some studies report that foot traffic in malls decreased by around 40% in 2020, with other sources recording a decrease of between 67% and 90%.
“In-person shopping can be a little overwhelming at times. If you’re online, you know what you’re looking for. But in-person, you kind of have to go searching for it, and you don’t know what you’ll find,” Winnen said.
“I like shopping in person more because I can try stuff on, whereas when I’m shopping online, most of the clothes I buy don’t actually fit me,” freshman Aziza Shaikh said.
“I order stuff online at least once every two weeks, but I only go to malls every two to three months,” junior Evelyn Vazquez said.
Malls are losing their affordability and accessibility, causing a decline in their popularity, even just for hanging out. “They used to be a little more working class, middle class, and not so high-end,” Garcia Dealba said.
Stanford Mall is known for its luxury shops. Notoriously expensive stores like Louis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., and David Yurman make up most of Stanford’s options, making it less appealing to the general public and teenagers. “It caters to the affluent” and “it is very, very upscale,” online reviews claim.
“Stanford Mall doesn’t cater to teenagers. The restaurants are nicer and sit-down, and there are a lot of expensive stores,” junior Caroline Baker said.
“I feel like I’m always spending too much money on food at Stanford Mall,” Baker said. “There are less expensive options out there.”
As teenagers lose interest in today’s in-person shopping climate, mall developers have pursued numerous solutions to regain popularity. These solutions primarily focus on adding upgrades and revampments to attract more buyers. Stanford Shopping Center recently completed renovations, including new restaurants, walkways, and more luxury retailers, striving to lure shoppers with novelty.
But modernizing malls is a challenge in itself: commercial demolition costs between four and eight dollars per square foot, which can quickly add up to millions of dollars.
As malls disappear, so does a sense of community.
Shopping centers used to be places to mingle, meet up, and receive services. 76% of U.S. adults enjoy malls with a mix of stores and services provided because it “adds vibrance” to their community.
“There isn’t a lot of activity at malls anymore. They’re dry and boring now,” senior Dario Chappell said.
Without the gateway of malls, local businesses’ struggle to win over attention from buyers could worsen, and big corporations with a significant online presence could wipe them out. Small businesses offer unique traits to the consumer world by supporting creativity and more customer-focused relationships. “I want businesses to stay in business. But I know that can be really tough in the times that we’re in right now,” Winnen said.
“Malls today are a little bit more non-existent and ghost towns, definitely not as busy. Sadly, online shopping is just taking over in-person shopping. I think the future of malls is that there will be no malls,” Winnen said.
