4 ms·

Why do I need to go to the mall? Because there is no retail zoning closer to my home.

by ttymck 3y ago

kelseyfrog 3y ago
Yep, cars facilitate cities of unsustainably low density. Reducing car use results in either migration to restore the density equilibrium, transit, or in situ densification. Pick at least one.
balfirevic 3y ago
My city has plenty of all kinds of shops where people live, but they (and I) still go to malls because shops there are larger and better equipped, there are more of them and you can walk between them at nice temperature and protected from the rain.
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  Yes, small shops in neighborhoods will never be able to match the price to utility ratio of large shopping complexes with businesses like Costco, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Ikea, Home Depot, Apple, Kroger, etc. As long as one has access to a personal car, and those above big businesses are available within 30min, even 45min, it is basically impossible for a smaller, local retailer to compete. And now you have the internet and delivery to your door to compete with too.
- ttymck 3y ago
  Glad to hear it. Sounds like you have an excellent balance of options available to you. It seems like a not insignificant amount of malls aren't sustaining themselves, so I wonder if the balance you described is a world where malls can thrive.
falcolas 3y ago
Because some things are too expensive to keep in stock (at least with any variety in styles/brands/etc) at local retail stores? Clothing, hobby supplies, computer peripherals, etc.
- ttymck 3y ago
  Why is that?
hughesjj 3y ago
Thankfully changing retail zoning is as cheap and expedient as writing a document. Regrettably legislation takes a while to move, but given any solution to this problem will require legislation changes anyway, the marginal value for just allowing mixed use commercial/residential zoning is effectively nil.
- gretch 3y ago
  > changing retail zoning is as cheap and expedient as writing a document This vastly underestimates the problem. It’s like saying all you need to be president is have people write your name on their ballots. Are people in this city amenable to mixed zoning? The forces that decided this in the first place still exist and have to be disentrenched

Why do I need to go to the mall? Because there is no retail zoning closer to my home.

by ttymck 3y ago

Why do I need to go to the mall? Because there is no retail zoning closer to my home.

Yep, cars facilitate cities of unsustainably low density. Reducing car use results in either migration to restore the density equilibrium, transit, or in situ densification. Pick at least one.

balfirevic 3y ago

My city has plenty of all kinds of shops where people live, but they (and I) still go to malls because shops there are larger and better equipped, there are more of them and you can walk between them at nice temperature and protected from the rain.

lotsofpulp 3y ago
Yes, small shops in neighborhoods will never be able to match the price to utility ratio of large shopping complexes with businesses like Costco, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Ikea, Home Depot, Apple, Kroger, etc. As long as one has access to a personal car, and those above big businesses are available within 30min, even 45min, it is basically impossible for a smaller, local retailer to compete. And now you have the internet and delivery to your door to compete with too.
ttymck 3y ago
Glad to hear it. Sounds like you have an excellent balance of options available to you. It seems like a not insignificant amount of malls aren't sustaining themselves, so I wonder if the balance you described is a world where malls can thrive.

falcolas 3y ago

Because some things are too expensive to keep in stock (at least with any variety in styles/brands/etc) at local retail stores? Clothing, hobby supplies, computer peripherals, etc.

ttymck 3y ago
Why is that?

hughesjj 3y ago

Thankfully changing retail zoning is as cheap and expedient as writing a document. Regrettably legislation takes a while to move, but given any solution to this problem will require legislation changes anyway, the marginal value for just allowing mixed use commercial/residential zoning is effectively nil.

gretch 3y ago
> changing retail zoning is as cheap and expedient as writing a document This vastly underestimates the problem. It’s like saying all you need to be president is have people write your name on their ballots. Are people in this city amenable to mixed zoning? The forces that decided this in the first place still exist and have to be disentrenched