We don't necessarily go shopping at malls, but on oppressively warm days, we'll take the tykes down to the local mall and use their indoor playspaces. And while

We don't necessarily go shopping at malls, but on oppressively warm days, we'll take the tykes down to the local mall and use their indoor playspaces. And while we're hanging about for a couple of hours, we'll make impulse purchases and maybe take in a meal in the food court. We're not alone -- everyone I know does this. I'm not at all sure this is a sustainable customer base for asset-heavy businesses like mall holding companies.