bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

Yesterday, wife and I went to the movie theater at the Music City Mall (formerly known as Vista Ridge Mall) in Lewisville, TX to see the movie "Cabrini" (but the movie is a whole nuther story.)

We hadn't been to this mall in quite some time, and it was a shocking eye-opener. We remember it to be a lively, bustling mall with lots of people walking the corridors, and almost 100% store occupancy. As we got there early, we had the opportunity to walk the mall. To our surprise, it appears virtually dead. We saw about a dozen people walking inside. We'd estimate that about 20% of the store fronts were occupied, and those that were occupied were of cheap, 3rd world kind of establishments. One storefront boasted, "Nothing over $8.99 in the entire store." There were previously 4 large anchor stores, like JCPenney, Macys, Dillards, Sears…now only 1 remains, and Dillards was renamed to Dillards Clearance…one can only imagine!

It sure looks like the Music City Mall will soon be the recipient of the wrecker's ball, much like the Valley View Mall in Dallas which was demolished in 2019.

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

Here's a short video of the demise of Music City Mall, taken during normal business hours. You could probably count the people there on one hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=CPcAcBjkFj0

...and another slightly longer one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZJD8x54iGk

NMGal Loc: NE NM

It is a shame.

BebuLamar

It's the Ecommerce that did it. I hate that. You can't go to store any buy anything any more.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

We wanted a birdbath, so we went online to Home Depot. There were dozens of models listed, so we drove the local store, where we were told "Oh, we don't stock those in the store anymore, haven't in years."

Even when there is a store, it is just a pick-up point for your online purchase. Maybe I'm just not with it anymore, but I like to see and touch some things before I lay out cash for them...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, malls are on their way out. There is a YouTuber who visits malls that are dead or dying, mostly in the Atlantic Northeast. What surprises me is all the useful stuff just left to rot. The owners could raise thousands by having an auction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5ljL38wcI

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

I think the Mall of America is still doing all right, but I don't live in Minnesota anymore.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

For whatever reason, enclosed malls are on the out. Here in the Lehigh Valley, we had two good-sized malls across the street from one another. The Lehigh Valley Mall is still very busy and fully occupied. The other mall (The Whitehall Mall) was going the way of your Music City Mall until they tore the roof off and removed one side to create a large strip mall. It worked as that mall is also fully occupied and busy. People are tired of getting encased in a large mall and walking what seems like miles to a store. The open-concept mall seems to be the wave of the future.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Online shopping is king…

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Many malls these days are visited after closing hours by senior citizens looking for a safe place to walk. A good title for this story is, "A Mall and the Night Visitors."

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

It seems to me that a deserted mall could be a real money maker if it were converted into a community of condos and a grocery store, possibly a gym, a track…so many possibilities. Any of which are better than letting the building deteriorate.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

That cringe-worthy pun reminds me of another "Steve," Stephen Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), one of my all-time faves.

Nodpete Loc: Naperville, IL

In our area (West of Chicago) they are tearing down large portions of indoor malls and converting it into condos. When Sears closed at our local mall, they ripped off the entire footage and put in a few hundred 2 story condos. These sit in the same area as McDonald's, Burger King, etc. I can't imagine living among fast food stores. And people are buying them.

Nodpete Loc: Naperville, IL

In our area (West of Chicago) they are tearing down large portions of indoor malls and converting it into condos. When Sears closed at our local mall, they ripped off the entire footage and put in a few hundred 2 story condos. These sit in the same area as McDonald's, Burger King, etc. I can't imagine living among fast food stores. And people are buying them.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I do my best. Thank you.