Richland Mall or Poorland Mall
After reading Koolhauss’s reading, “Junkspace,” I was reminded
of my hometown mall, Richland Mall. I remember when I was young the mall was a
two-story mall that was filled with people shopping and walking around. My favorite
time of the year to visit was around Christmas time because the balcony railings
would have lights and other decorations. One of my favorite features of the
mall was the wishing well near the elevators. I found this space to be a beacon
for people to cast their wishes and a place for people to feel connected. I noticed
years later the decline of the mall without consciously knowing it was closing.
Firstly, they had to stop running the fountain, then the Disney store closed,
and the biggest stores to close I believe was one of the big clothing retail Dillard’s
or Bealls. Without funding from the larger stores, the smaller non-corporate
businesses with individual store fronts inside the mall could not keep up with
the rent so they eventually left as well. Now when you visit Richland Mall, the
walls are cracking, lights are only on in three of the four main wings, and
there are many boarded up old shops. Visiting today it feels like I am visiting
a consumerism graveyard. Without the shops the building collapsed on itself and
proved its function as a Junk Space. The two images on this blog truly show you
how these spaces are now, dark, lonely, and eerie.
My local mall has become the same thing. One of the reasons is online shopping but for my home mall it failed because of over regulation. Not allowing people to enjoy the built space. So, the architecture failed because it was not allowed to serve its purpose.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a regular here! or I was, at least, until COVID. I live pretty close to this mall (it's weird that it's right in the middle of town, no?) and for the past 10 years my weekend routine has always included at least one morning where i roll out of bed and head straight to the Barnes and Noble to eat a bagel, drink coffee, and read expensive British car magazines. If the B&N doesn't go out of business or fall down first, I'll be back as soon as this covid thing cools down and the concept of eating a bagel while reading a semi-public magazine returns to being only the normal amount of gross.
ReplyDeleteMy hometown has, at least for 10 years or so, been campaigning locally to 'bring the mall back'. Nothing has changed and for a while now only an AMC movie theater has remained open. Everyone knows that there is no way it will ever come back and be populated with any other stores. The massive size and land usage is almost too much for anyone to admit as a loss. That, or they admit that they've given up on something that was a part of their youth.
ReplyDeleteIt seems every time I visit home there is some new signage along the perimeter of 'coming soon' or 'big things are coming'. It's usually just informing that the movie theater is changing the neon sign, again.
I really enjoyed this reading and also your blog post. It reminds me of Southlake Mall near me. The mall no longer has anchor stores and most of the smaller stores are out. It's a real problem that needs a solution.
ReplyDeleteReally like your post, the photo is a sleeping or even a dying reptile! Similar in my home town, I had some good memory in the old shopping mall, but they're not so bright and spacious compared to the new one. And because they have similar brands, I would definitely prefer the new one. If our taste changes again, how will today's most popular shopping malls be after 10 years?
ReplyDelete