These poses a bit of a dilemma for us mapmakers. Do we put the official name, known only to a few people at the REIT that owns the place, or the name of the anchor store, like Safeway or Tractor Supply or Target? On a suburban bus system map, there’s only room for one or the other. The choice that actually helps people understand where the bus line goes seems like free advertising, or at least favoritism.
And what about if a feature has a name that is used but it’s different from the official name? For example what everyone calls the “Pentagon City Mall” is officially the “Fashion Center at Pentagon City.”
I see what you mean, but I think utility has to win out. The one in my city, I’ve passed thousands of times and–despite that huge, lighted sign–never processed the fact that it had such a name until that one time. And now I’ve already forgotten it again. I could name most of the stores in it though.
I like the double *entendre *that “emptorium”, in addition to advising caution in a dangerous setting, also makes me think of “empty” as in devoid of customers.
