4 ms·

Mostly the former probably, but for many it's the latter as well. Malls historically were a central gathering point where many people burnt an entire day just s

by csydas 9y ago

Mostly the former probably, but for many it's the latter as well. Malls historically were a central gathering point where many people burnt an entire day just shopping around, grabbing lunch at the food court, and just in general "hanging out". It's where the term Mallrat (and the move _Mallrats_) gets their naming from. In more recent years it's not as important and the day trips probably aren't there, but many still flock to malls around holidays for shopping and also during the summers in places where climate control is either too expensive or unavailable for people (same with theaters). Likewise, just having a large availability of stores and a place to put the kids (or just to meet in general) is still really important. Older folk also enjoy walking the mall as it's a large and safe area (also climate controlled). So basically, it still has some functions in society beyond being representative of general economic health.

black_puppydog 9y ago
To me, a lot of these functions seem like things that could easily be available to the individual (like AC) or should be provided to the general public, not just in malls (like being a "safe area"). But thank you, that does clarify it indeed. :)
- humanrebar 9y ago
  > "safe area" This means "I can leave my teenagers there without worrying". Malls have private security. They can (and do) escort people out who are doing things that are bad for business. That includes all sorts of things that are legal (and should be legal!) but aren't appropriate in that context. Other things are illegal but impossible to eliminate from public life (and public parks). Many of those things are things you'd worry about your teenager being around. Like public drinking. Drug use (legal and not). Misdemeanor violence. Sexual harassment from random citizens (creepy middle aged people with panel vans). Public sexual conduct (sex in the bushes or in the bathroom stall). In other words, "safe area" is code for "free low-grade babysitting".
  - thejayray 9y ago
    There are some places, however, that are starting to put restrictions around minors in Malls at given times of day. The article mentions Simon Property Managment and I think that company now disallows anyone under 18 within their malls after 5pm, Friday through Sunday. This seems even stranger to me because of the foot traffic and disposable income of many minors; feels like a target demographic that the malls are shunning, then complaining about lower amounts of foot traffic.
- wil421 9y ago
  I’m going to clear this up really quick because what OP said was extremely weird. People do not go to malls for AC and I live in the Deep South where it humid as hell. Safe Area is a weird choice of words. I guess it means parents can drop kids off at a place that has decent rent a cops. Generally keeping kids safe from themselves or weirdos I presume. My parents would’ve never said I like dropping my kids at the mall because it’s safe.
  - csydas 9y ago
    Well, just saying how it was where I grew up in the Midwest. Air Conditioning was not standard in many of the older houses and when there was a heatwave, people would go to malls/movie theaters and relax there because the buildings were publicly accessible, had stuff to do to kill time, and were climate controlled. I know that 102F and 99% humidity is par for the course down South, but, you know we Northerners just don't really handle that the same way. I remember during heat waves growing up that the local news stations and the city would advise going to places where there is air-conditioning if you didn't have AC. As for safe, again, maybe just different up north, but it's absolutely common to just give your kid $20-$40 go to the mall to hang out with friends or to kill time shopping, or at an arcade (for the few that still have one), or to go to a movie at the mall or whatever. The security tends to be pretty strict. One of the malls where I grew up had such strict security they wouldn't let minors in without guardian being present). The adult would go shopping or grab lunch or read, the kids would run off and do whatever. So, sorry that our experiences don't mesh, but it absolutely did happen. Here's a video from Anaheim Fire and Rescue recommending that people go to the mall during a heat wave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msk2Qd4TkJs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msk2Qd4TkJs Edit: added clarity to last sentence
    - wil421 9y ago
      Fair enough, I took your people who don’t have AC as something like a bunch of poor people who have no where else to go. Not people who just don’t have AC due to climate. I also took Safe Place as a symbol for violence the media portrays in the US or something. Maybe watched too much news last night. I understand what you were saying now!

by csydas 9y ago

black_puppydog 9y ago

To me, a lot of these functions seem like things that could easily be available to the individual (like AC) or should be provided to the general public, not just in malls (like being a "safe area"). But thank you, that does clarify it indeed. :)

humanrebar 9y ago
> "safe area" This means "I can leave my teenagers there without worrying". Malls have private security. They can (and do) escort people out who are doing things that are bad for business. That includes all sorts of things that are legal (and should be legal!) but aren't appropriate in that context. Other things are illegal but impossible to eliminate from public life (and public parks). Many of those things are things you'd worry about your teenager being around. Like public drinking. Drug use (legal and not). Misdemeanor violence. Sexual harassment from random citizens (creepy middle aged people with panel vans). Public sexual conduct (sex in the bushes or in the bathroom stall). In other words, "safe area" is code for "free low-grade babysitting".
- thejayray 9y ago
  There are some places, however, that are starting to put restrictions around minors in Malls at given times of day. The article mentions Simon Property Managment and I think that company now disallows anyone under 18 within their malls after 5pm, Friday through Sunday. This seems even stranger to me because of the foot traffic and disposable income of many minors; feels like a target demographic that the malls are shunning, then complaining about lower amounts of foot traffic.
wil421 9y ago
I’m going to clear this up really quick because what OP said was extremely weird. People do not go to malls for AC and I live in the Deep South where it humid as hell. Safe Area is a weird choice of words. I guess it means parents can drop kids off at a place that has decent rent a cops. Generally keeping kids safe from themselves or weirdos I presume. My parents would’ve never said I like dropping my kids at the mall because it’s safe.
- csydas 9y ago
  Well, just saying how it was where I grew up in the Midwest. Air Conditioning was not standard in many of the older houses and when there was a heatwave, people would go to malls/movie theaters and relax there because the buildings were publicly accessible, had stuff to do to kill time, and were climate controlled. I know that 102F and 99% humidity is par for the course down South, but, you know we Northerners just don't really handle that the same way. I remember during heat waves growing up that the local news stations and the city would advise going to places where there is air-conditioning if you didn't have AC. As for safe, again, maybe just different up north, but it's absolutely common to just give your kid $20-$40 go to the mall to hang out with friends or to kill time shopping, or at an arcade (for the few that still have one), or to go to a movie at the mall or whatever. The security tends to be pretty strict. One of the malls where I grew up had such strict security they wouldn't let minors in without guardian being present). The adult would go shopping or grab lunch or read, the kids would run off and do whatever. So, sorry that our experiences don't mesh, but it absolutely did happen. Here's a video from Anaheim Fire and Rescue recommending that people go to the mall during a heat wave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msk2Qd4TkJs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msk2Qd4TkJs Edit: added clarity to last sentence
  - wil421 9y ago
    Fair enough, I took your people who don’t have AC as something like a bunch of poor people who have no where else to go. Not people who just don’t have AC due to climate. I also took Safe Place as a symbol for violence the media portrays in the US or something. Maybe watched too much news last night. I understand what you were saying now!