We’re officially entering the frantic shopping season for the year. I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the heyday of the American shopping mall. And to give you a glimpse at an amazing new book that captures the people, the styles and the culture of malls of the 1980’s in photographs.
A nostaligic glimpse back to the malls of the 1980’s:
If you were a young (or even not so young) American in the 80’s, chances are you spent a good bit of your free time at the local mall. It was where you shopped, ate and socialized. It was the place to see and be seen. If you saw the newest season of the hit series Stranger Things you may have been transported back to a time when the shopping mall was king. A new photo retrospective from photographer Michael Galinsky may take you back, too.
The economic boom of the 80’s and the age of consumerism helped spark the growth of the mall. The suburbs, where malls were built, were flourishing. And the enclosed nature of the mall made it a haven in the midwest or anywhere you wanted to escape the rain, cold or snow. For older Americans it was, and still is, a place to get needed walking exercise. Mall walking groups formed. There was even an outfit, the shell suit that we called a “Mall Suit”. It was a community gathering place.
A Change In Shopping Habits
Experts can’t agree as to all the reasons for the deep demise of the enclosed mall. Many factors have probably contributed. The 1990’s saw a general economic downturn and belt tightening. People moved away from consumer culture. And then of course, came the advent of online shopping which has played a major role. In a 2015 Mother Jones article “Why did Enclosed Malls Die?”, other reasons are explored. Malls may have developed a reputation as being dangerous in certain areas of the country. The article notes that other chain stores emerged during the 90’s as well, like Target and Best Buy which were hugely popular and may have drawn business away from the big anchor stores of malls. More recently the “shop local” movement has taken hold and the revitalization of many downtown shopping areas has occurred.
Malls still exist today, of course, but not in the number they did. Many are being reinvented into “mixed use” type development. A Forbes magazine article, “Shopping Malls Aren’t Dying, They’re Evolving” notes that to draw visitors back to the mall companies are trying to add an “experience” factor. Salons, bars, bowling alleys and cinemas are popping up more frequently in malls today. But the unique “mallrat”, mall culture of the 1980’s doesn’t really exist anymore.
The Decline of Mall Civilization:
Photographer and filmmaker, Michael Galinsky, has published two photo books, Malls Across America (out of print) and just recently, The Decline of Mall Civilization. A photography student during the 80’s, he travelled across the country and took pictures at malls. Finding the prints decades later, he realized he held a small piece of history, and the kickstarter project was born. Take a look at his photos and it will take you back to a different time. You see the hairstyles, the clothes, the culture that so embodied the 80’s. Mullets and perms, acid washed jeans, Madonna-inspired fashion, it’s all there. Released to rave reviews, there are still copies of The Decline of Mall Civilization available through his site, so pick up a copy while you can. And look back to the malls of the 1980’s as we experienced them.
Have a great week and good luck with your shopping. Thanks for stopping by.
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