What: A piece all about nostalgia for the American malls.

Why it is important: Department stores can not rely only on concessions and have a short-term approach on profits, if they want to have a different destiny. Their ability to curate and select should remain at the core of their model.

The shopping mall, once a symbol of freedom and a way of life in the 1980s, is in its twilight years. There were around 2,500 malls in America during their peak, but that number has dwindled to 700 today and is expected to drop to just 250 within a decade.

Factors such as the internet, recessions, social media, Covid-19, and computer games have contributed to this decline. The demise of once-iconic department stores has also played a role.

The shopping mall's downfall signifies the loss of a shared space for people to escape their screens, and the phenomenon of "dead malls" has become a subject of fascination for those seeking the remnants of a bygone era.

The glory days of the American Mall