Had To Go To The Mall Today - Jesus! I had no idea it was that bad

[ThomWV]

I went to the largest mall in the adjoining county this afternoon, largest shopping center within 4 counties, 9 days before Christmas. I had no problem parking within 100 feet of the main entrance. It was devoid of shoppers; I have seen more people there on an August afternoon. The food court is about a half acre, I counted - counted mind you - 37 people in the place. In every other year in my memory that the place has been standing it would have been shoulder to shoulder people this close to Christmas. There is even a Christian book store in this particular mall, I looked in as I passed by - not a soul in the place other than the one sales person behind the counter. Sears tool section; 6 or 8 salespersons, 2 or 3 customers.

[1620rock]

1. Brother can you spare a dime?

[damntexdem]

13. Buddy, can you paradigm?

[glitch]

23. Shift, yes! nt

[LostinVA]

2. It's crazy at ours, and at stand-alones like B&N and Costco

[blm]

7. Same thing at our Costco in NC. Very brisk - even at the Costco gas pumps.

I remember back in 2001-2002 when a CNBC fascist advised investors to avoid Costco stock because they treated their employees so well they couldn't survive.

[hamsterjill]

22. Costco San Antonio, too

I was there at lunch and the carts were running into each other because there were so many on the floor.

[TomInTib]

3. I have been wondering about this.

I am far removed from any mall situation, but retail in our town is dead, dead, dead.

[specimenfred1984]

4. Most Americans are now paying for the years of crimes they've supported

They set themselves up for it via self-inflicted ignorance, belief in propaganda, lack of accountability and pure greed.

[katty]

5. the malls are rather like ghost towns

[Kalyke]

6. It is bad when there are no souls in the Christian book store.

:D


Sorry - I had to say it.

[av8rdave]

8. I was at a mall today...pretty crowded

But does that actually translate into good sales?

[YOY]

9. And this is why a "service-based economy" is bullshit.

When the economy goes south...NOBODY F***ING BUYS ANYTHING THEY DON'T NEED!

Like those assholes in Biz school ever would believe a liberal MBA...I don't wear a three piece and golf with pricks...what do I know?

[awoke_in_2003]

16. "and golf with pricks"

I didn't know they made pricks that big :)

[YOY]

18. Yeah they do, but not the kind straight women and gay dudes like. The kind most people hate.

Some are 6 foot tall and deserve to be walking far less erect than they are.

[Selatius]

28. I can tell you if the Business School at typical universities weren't populated with ideologues...

then this country would be a whole lot better off. For one thing, it wouldn't be turning out people into the business world who are too narrow-minded to pursue models that may not fit the view of what capitalists want. I ought to know; I got my bachelors out of one of those business schools, but I came out a proponent of market socialism than what we see today.

[Andy823]

10. I went shopping today

Got out early and there were very few people out at 8 a.m. When we left it was picking up pretty good for a Tuesday morning 7 degree temps, and windchill factors at about 15 to 20 below!

I read yesterday that sales were doing pretty well in most areas, better than expected. I think a lot depends on the area a person lives in.

[Beaverhausen]

11. I'm seeing lots of big sales - 50% off, buy one get one free, etc.

it's really sad.

[lpbk2713]

12. I went to my local Target today at around lunch time.

They looked fairly busy to me. There were probably six registers working with two or three customers in line at each one. I saw several carts at different places around the store with merchandise waiting to be put on the shelves. The girl that checked me out had a name tag that said "New Associate" where her name should be, so evidently they are hiring, even if only for the Xmas season.

[JuniperLea]

14. I went to Borders and BevMo last night...

In the Long Beach, CA, area. Borders was doing a little business; I had to wait in line, but not for very long. BevMo was a ghost town! Yet, as I drove home, I noted that the WalMart parking lot was filled to capacity. I think people are being forced to shop at WalMart because they don't have much money. All those Chinese toys and clothing articles... I'm concerned that little kids will suffer because of this.

[malaise]

15. That's funny - I went to the plaza today

and drove around three times before I found a parking spot near the supermarket. What's more, there weren't many people in the supermarket. Jamaicans won't postpone Christmas for anything. I've spoken to friends and their argument is that the economic problems aren't going away so they may as well enjoy Christmas. Hubby and I aren't traveling this year and we're not buying presents either. We'll entertain a few friends and family on Christmas day.

It's true that lots of college kids returned home on the weekend and loads of Jamaicans return home from the US, Canada and England, but I couldn't believe the place would be so crowded.

[mnhtnbb]

17. I think it's regional. Our malls seem to be doing fairly good business

in the Triangle are of NC. Lots of sales, though.

[Jack Rabbit]

19. I went to a strip mall yesterday for Spitfire's annual shots

The vet's office is there.

I've had more trouble parking there in the summer.

[dugaresa]

20. how was the weather?

i know weather affects mall traffic in my area of the country...
people don't like to wander out if there are bad conditions to do a bit of christmas shopping.

[dugaresa]

21. duplicate

[kestrel91316]

24. Target in Woodland Hills, CA 2 PM last Saturday:

Parking lot almost empty; store almost empty; two checkstands open, no waiting. This, less than two weeks before Christmas.

[rox63]

25. I've been to several large stores recently and it was the same

No problem getting a good parking spot, almost no wait at the checkouts. People are holding on to what little money they have, or are only buying necessities.

[tammywammy]

26. I went to Target today

around 1:30pm, and it iced outside last night, it was still busy. :shrug:

[kimmerspixelated]

27. I think it depends where you are.

It was hard to believe a recession was going on in any way, where I've been shopping. But then, there are numerous sales. I do believe that folks aren't buying big items like plasma tvs, etc. I think they are buying less, say maybe, only one thing per person, instead of two.

[tbyg52]

29. I'm in former DeLay land

and the mall was packed Sunday, as were the restaurants.

[kayakjohnny]

30. East central Florida reporting in. People quite spendy and active. Mom and pops doing OK.

But everyone still digging out of the hole from last few months. Seeing a major uptick across all economic classes here. At the moment, seems like a normal year.

Asking good consumer questions and spending more time on purchases than normal. To get better bang for buck, I suppose. I'm seeing people working, saving, spending than more than in past several months.

All about demographics at this point, I'm guessing. Pockets of good and bad all across the nation at this time. That is my take on the matter.

[Obamarama]

31. Here's what I saw while out retailing yesterday:

Had to drop by the mall. Deader than a doornail. No lines, just step up to the cash register, swipe the debit card and run. And one could have run through the mall there were so few people in it.

Went to the Dollar Store to pick up some decorative tins to put cookies in and it was swamped. Had to wait in line for about 10 minutes before hitting the cash register.

Barnes & Noble had a pretty long line, though it didn't feel really packed.

[dysfunctional press]

32. things are fairly dead in far northwest chicagoland...but we're having pretty crappy weather now...

i was at uber-target, and there weren't many people there...the mall was dead...costco was dead yesterday...

dead...dead...dead

[beltanefauve]

33. Used clothing

The "vintage" and chic used clothing stores are doing a very brisk business where I live (Oakland, CA) I sold some things and was offered 30% cash on what they were going to charge for my goods, or a 50% credit if I traded for other clothes. I looked for a nice dress for a party but they were clean out of them.

Macy's, meanwhile, has been having some great sales for everyone, and even better deals for cardholders, with extra discounts tacked on for using your charge. They were busy, but I didn't have to wait in any real lines to speak of.

[old mark]

34. Funny - the biggest crowd of shoppers I saw this season was at a Goodwill store

where I went to look for books. ( the only way I can afford my reading habit - used books.) Lots of clothing and toys and houseware type items sold while I was there.

mark

[Odin2005]

35. Fargo Barnes & Noble is absurdly busy.

I go there every Saturday to read and have coffee and during the last 2 weeks it was more packed then I even remember it, even during past Christmases; had trouble finding a place to sit. Methinks people are getting $100-worth of books to give as gifts rather than $1000 big-screen TVs.

Fargo's 2 malls, on the other hand, are eerily quiet, but the thrift store I go to and once worked at is REALLY busy.

[MissB]

36. My co-workers and I usually eat lunch at the local mall's food court.

I bring my own lunch, mind you.

Anyway, it has been amazingly empty for months. I figured by the time December rolled around, maybe it would pick up.

[earth mom]

37. I went to Macys at the local mall on early Sunday evening and the place was really quiet.

I haven't been in that store for a year if not two years, but we are having a severe cold snap here and so I needed to buy a couple of fleece electric blankets which I could not find at Target or Costco.

As I made my selection between two different styles, the saleslady hovered over me, so while I was paying for my purchase, I asked her if she made commission and she said no, but that sales are tracked and that she really appreciated my purchase ($175) because it really helped her sales that day! :wow:

[Blue_Tires]

38. i went to our local 'upscale' mall yesterday, and it was deserted, too...

[KoKo]

39. Mall in NC Triangle BUSY on Saturday....Lots of "Lookers/Packed" but no shopping bags...

I think maybe folks were there because they were bored...not a "Game" to go to or something they could watch on TeeVee? :shrug: