Yesterday I had to go to a nearby mall. I'm not a shopper and

[yy4me]

dread going anywhere near these spots. Although not handicapped, I have foot problems that make walking painful.

On prior occasions, I have had to walk acres from the parking spot to the stores. Yesterday, at almost any spot in around the whole mall, I could park right near the entrances. Not just a spot here and there, it was the whole mall. We were dumbfounded. No recession? I don't believe it. The stores must be dying from lack of customers.

It was a minor relief for my feet but a major worry otherwise. We're headed down the tubes if this Saturday mid-afternoon lack of business was any indication of how things are. This was a major Simon Mall, not a small local mall.

[mike_c]

1. that's an interesting observation-- I went to a local mall on Friday...

...and the place was damned nearly empty. I noticed several missing/closed stores as well, but since I don't go there often it didn't really register until I read your post. Aside from the missing retailers, though, the main thing was that the place had so few customers on a late Friday afternoon.

[trotsky]

2. Malls are taking a huge hit.

People scale back and buy only the essentials. In other words, if they can't get it at Wal-Mart, they don't need it.

I've seen the same thing. Malls, restaurants, specialty shops, all are suffering and it scares me too.

[glowing]

6. Actually, you can get stuff at the mall for less than you can at Walmart on

a sale day. Walmart knows you are there for "cheap" items.. so they lower the price on some items and increase on others.. Walmart is not always the lowest prices.. and their qualtiy sucks.

[trotsky]

8. Preaching to the choir

I won't set foot in Mal-Wart.

[glowing]

11. Its been a long while since I have as well. I bought a grill from there..

It was a charbroil.. and its the same that I would have bought from any of the stores.. and a fan for my son's room.. It happened to be on the way home, and I didn't want to go out of my way with gas prices.. That was 2 months ago.. I don't make necessary trips there.

[Rosemary2205]

3. I was in one yesterday and felt the same way for a different reason

the mall here was pretty full of people but I've seen it much fuller on a Saturday. What struck me is how little stock the anchor stores seemed to have. Normally their's no way my wheelchair will fit through the sea of display racks. In every single store we visited I had room to spare - which means even though the store looks full, they have weeded quite a lot of products and moved the displays farther apart to fill up the space.

[glowing]

4. I think people in Tampa Bay area are just deluded shoppers.. I went

on Sat. afternoon to get a couple of items for my sister's wedding.. the mall was full.. not much in people's hands, but it was full.. I suppose they just like the feeling of going to browse, even if they aren't buying much.. Although, I did go in the Frederick's of Hollywood store.. I ended up with a couple of extra bras and panties (the bras I needed; the panties--not so much, but I love to match).. anyway.. the sales lady was saying.. let's split the sale.. It was only $70.00 (good sale) and they were splitting it.. so, I'd say commissions are down.. and who knows, perhaps they might cut more staff if someone isn' getting the sale? Then I had to buy shoes for this wedding.. I ended up getting them for $16.00 (orig. priced at $50.00).. Macy's had a sale going on.. Jewelry normally priced at $100.00 was going for $30.00.. $250.00 items--$70.00. If you do have some money, now is the time to catch the sales on engagement rings (hint, hint young fellas in love). My sis-n-law was at the mall and noticed Friedman's jeweler was going out of business and had a liquidation sale... she has a life-time warranty on her wedding rings.. she asked what would happen with her life-time gaurantee once they closed.. well, its null and void. Strange times to be living in...

[Old Codger]

5. Wal Mart

Our local wal mart was almost alway full up, lately about 2/3's full really stands out. Anyone who doubts we are in a recession is spending too much time with head up their posterior orifice ...

[glowing]

7. Personally, I think in a lot of areas.. its a Depression.. Some areas never

really recovered from the manufacturing jobs departing, so they are hurting even more now.

[Jacobin]

9. Funny, I just got through telling my husband the..

same thing yesterday, Deserted malls. No recession, yeah right.

Btw, I just realized I'm posting on mu husbands user name oops:)

[2Design]

10. waterfood lakes - orlando - full parking lot - like christmas n/t

[glowing]

12. I think some of the Florida phenomenon is that people are on vacation

from all over the world.. When the Canadians or Europeans check into the hotel here, that's one of the first questions they ask.. how do I get to the mall.

[Mika]

13. Took a bike ride down our small city's shopping strip. 1/3 of the shops were gone vacant & for rent.

:scared:

[w8liftinglady]

14. I noticed this yesterday

one of my favorite "community" shopping centers where I grew up has a "dollar store" and a Rent-a-Center"...no more of the cute little shops,card store,book store.How sad.