# I haven't been in a mall for more then 20 years. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183 "2011-11-26T20:51:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mewl\_Dear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mewl\_Dear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mewl_Dear)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/1 "2011-11-26T20:51:04Z")
I am middle aged and live in suburbia USA. I dislike malls and my wife loves them. She shops and I do other things. How long since you were in a mall? ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Obvious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Obvious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Obvious)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/2 "2011-11-26T20:53:52Z")
About a week if I’m remembering right. Before that it’d been a year and a half. The time before that it had been well over 10 years. There’s only a semi decent mall within 15 miles of my house. The nearest decent one is 30 miles away. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/3 "2011-11-26T20:54:49Z")
It’s been a few months since I went to a mall. I mostly go for the opportunity to take a long walk in a climate controlled environment. The last time I went was because I had a coupon for a free pair of underwear at Victoria’s Secret, but the time before that was just to walk. I don’t generally do the traditional “go shopping” thing at the mall. That is, browse through a variety of stores until I find crap to buy. I generally go either to walk or to buy something specific, and once I get that thing, I leave. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/4 "2011-11-26T20:56:44Z")
…because that would be too long. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/5 "2011-11-26T21:03:34Z")
Probably 15 years or so since I’ve been in a big, sprawling suburban-type mall. There’s one smaller city mall called Century Mall or somesuch that’s not far from me, I was in there to get to the movie theater on the top floor about 5 years ago if that counts. I didn’t go there to shop, though I discovered an international food court on the lower level that was nice. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/6 "2011-11-26T21:42:46Z")
Funny thread! I loathe malls too. Last time would have been 2004, when the psycho ex and I were shopping for a formal gown for me, to be worn at the annual Christmas do. So we were hitting Macy’s, Nordstrom, Penneys etc. Unless you count going to a movie theater located in a mall…but to the best of my recollection I’ve always entered from the outside, seen the movie and left, without really going into the mall itself. I had a long-standing Saturday night date with a friend, where we’d meet up at Borders book store, browse and shop books, buy a foo-foo coffee drink, then go to the movies at an adjacent mega-mall. Usually after the movie we’d go back to Borders for a “nightcap” and maybe more shopping. I miss Borders. ☹ I’ve never understood the whole “shopping as entertainment” mindset. I was gobsmacked when I read that Mall of America has been the number one tourist destination in the U.S. more than once. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/7 "2011-11-26T22:09:10Z")
About a year ago. A friend bought me Bose earbuds for my iPod for Christmas/birthday, and we went to the Bose store at the mall to get them. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/8 "2011-11-26T23:11:03Z")
A few days. There are a few malls near my house that have free toddler play areas. Since I am not working and have a 2 year old and a 3 month old. It’s a great place to let the toddler work off some energy and play with other kids. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/9 "2011-11-26T23:47:29Z")
Several months. The closest mall to me is about 40 miles away and pretty lame. The larger mall is 60 miles away. It’s pretty good sized and has a good assortment of stores, but it’s been nearly a year since I was in that one. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/10 "2011-11-27T00:06:51Z")
I go once a year - my optomologist paired up with a Lenscrafters and is now located in a mall. I like her, so it is worth dealing with the rest of the idiots that inhabit the mall. And my annual visit is in January so I don’t have to deal with the Christmas shopping morons. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/11 "2011-11-27T00:29:48Z")
I think I went to one 3 years ago to get some clothes for a job interview. Got a haircut while I was there, too. I’m not sure if it really counts because I just parked outside JC Penney, went to their clothing department and salon, then left. The mall part itself gives me the creeps. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/12 "2011-11-27T00:45:27Z")
The last time I was in a mall was about 4 years ago, when I visited some relatives in Ottawa. Before that, it had been close to 10 years, I believe. I’m just not a big fan of crowds and there’s nothing at the local mall that interests me enough to venture inside. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/13 "2011-11-27T01:04:58Z")
Over 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/14 "2011-11-27T01:23:28Z")
20.5 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/15 "2011-11-27T01:28:43Z")
There’s a Time Warner store in one of the malls by me. I stopped in there a few weeks ago to swap out my cable modem and as soon as I walked in I realized that I don’t think I’ve been in there in at least a year or two and I certainly haven’t been in there on a regular basis since I was married. The only time I go to the mall now it’s because I’m going there to get something specific and that’s just where the store happens to be. If I can enter the store without walking through the mall, I’ll usually do that. Not that I have a problem with malls, it’s just that I don’t have any reason to be in them and not strolling around in them is a good way to keep my spending in check. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/16 "2011-11-27T02:36:09Z")
Other than to go to a theater that was in one, I haven’t been in one for a few years now. Wow! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/17 "2011-11-27T03:36:43Z")
I was in one on “Black Friday” i.e. yesterday. I went in the mid afternoon with my college-aged niece so she could get some cool skating sneakers. We got there around 2pm; the parking lot had many cars but I found an open non-handicapped space right next to one of the entrances. The mall’s hallways were busy, but not uncomfortably so. The shoe store was quite near the entrance, and a clerk was immediately available to help her agonize for 45 minutes over which style to buy. So I sat near the store’s front and watched the non-stop parade of dolled-up hotties for 45 minutes. Tough mission, but somebody’s gotta do it. I held up bravely, I tells ya. Then I paid for some cool sneakers, we walked back to the car & went home. On the freeway going home we passed another mall. Judging from the parking lot & access road traffic it too was busy but not insane. If that’s as bad as malls get I just don’t get the hate. Other than getting underwear & occasionally outerwear at the anchor stores, malls don’t have much of the goods I buy. So I don’t hang out there or visit even semi-regularly. But they’re not evil. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/18 "2011-11-27T03:55:14Z")
Yesterday. On returning from a mountain drive, I wanted to stretch my legs and shoulders with a walk, so I stopped at Colorado Mills, and made a circuit. Didn’t go into any stores; didn’t buy anything; just walked. That’s fairly typical of my mall visits, except once in a while I’ll shop for something at Macy’s or Dillard’s. ---
**Author:** ![Purple\_Scottie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Purple\_Scottie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purple_Scottie)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/19 "2011-11-27T04:03:19Z")
I have not been in an enclosed mall since approximately 2008. I don’t know the technical term for the style of the malls I go to now – basically nicer and much larger than a usual shopping center or strip mall. I tend not to go to those that often except for when I order items online from a company that has a store in one of them and I need to make a return. The main exception has been when I’ve needed to drop my macbook off at the Apple store at one of them for repairs. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183/20 "2011-11-27T04:08:07Z")
July 25. I remember because it was right after I had a follow-up appointment with the oral surgeon after my wisdom tooth extraction, during which he told me that the site I thought might be healing wrong was just fine. It wasn’t, and I just kicked the damned infection last month after two rounds of antibiotics. On the way home I went to the mall to buy an outfit for my cousin’s wedding and somehow convinced my mom to buy me a $100 skirt. I’m a brat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-been-in-a-mall-for-more-then-20-years/604183.md?page=2)