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[EviLore]

Welcome to the Era of the Post-Shopping Mall (Published 2019)

As the mall declines, American Dream — a “destination” at the height of capitalism — rises.

www.nytimes.com

One morning in early December, I left my office in midtown Manhattan, took a 20-minute bus ride to the New Jersey wetlands and got a few ski runs in before noon. I hadn’t been skiing for 15 years. It turns out that all I needed was for the mountain to come to me.

Enter Big Snow, an indoor ski hill filled with 5,500 tons of “real snow,” which falls not from the clouds but from the ceiling of a warehouse where the temperature is always 28 degrees. As I set out across its terrain, I was flooded with the sense-memories of childhood: frozen eyelashes, scratchy snowsuit, the abandon of tucking the poles under my arms and flying down a mountain, my father just ahead of me. That lasted for 30 seconds, which is how long it took for me to hit the end of the run. With every sluggish chairlift ride back to the top, I was reminded that I was pacing back and forth in a cold steel box. When I was done, I was released not into a warm ski lodge but into an empty mall.

Big Snow is enclosed within the 3-million-square-foot American Dream, a mall so ambitious that it has transcended the word “mall.” It prefers to identify as a “revolutionary, first of its kind community,” an “unrivaled destination for style and play” and “an incredible collection of unique experiences.” Just off the New Jersey Turnpike, a post-shopping mall is born: More than half of American Dream’s space is allotted not to retail but to entertainment. The psychic center of American social life has shifted from buying things to feeling them.

After 15 years in development, the project’s attractions are finally lighting up one by one, connected by networks of vast, unfilled corridors. In addition to Big Snow, there is a National Hockey League-sized ice rink, a Nickelodeon Universe theme park, and a dusting of retail: a Big Snow ski shop, an IT’SUGAR candy department store and a Whoopi Goldberg-themed pop-up shop selling her collections of ugly holiday sweaters and chic tunics. Teased future reveals include a DreamWorks water park, a Legoland, a Vice-branded “Munchies” food hall, a KidZania play land featuring a full commercial airliner and a field hopping with live rabbits.

These spectacles have arrived not a moment too soon. This $5 billion not-mall is opening amid reports that the mall is dying. An army of trend forecasters have decided that millennials would rather spend money on experiences than on stuff. The retail imagination has been transposed to Instagram, and shuttered storefronts have been infiltrated by “pop-up experiences” primed to monetize the selfie. As department stores retreat, they have left “ghost malls” in their wake, complexes that lack the center of gravity to pull townspeople in but that live on in the form of eerie YouTube memorials. Meanwhile, the developers of American Dream — Triple Five, the Canadian conglomerate behind Mall of America in Minnesota — believe its gravitational pull is so strong that it will draw millions from the region, the nation, the world.

American Dream may be selling experiences, but the mall always was an experience. The shopping was mere pretense; the being-there part was free. Just as Baudelaire’s flâneur roamed the arcades of Paris with his leashed turtle, converting the halls of commerce into a kind of poetry, the American’s eye for sociological observation was forged in the glow of the Orange Julius. The commercial backdrop of the mall provided the uncanny feeling of becoming commodities ourselves, a prospect we could embrace or resist.

In pop culture, the mall was alienation ground zero. It’s where the zombies of “Dawn of the Dead” descended in search of flesh and the burnouts of “Mallrats” convened in defiance of their “lack of a shopping agenda.” It’s where Tai had her “near-death experience” in “Clueless,” when some guys she met at the Foot Locker dipped her over a balcony wall and shook her upside-down. It’s where the social hierarchies of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Mean Girls” were laid bare, and where, in middle school, I ducked into the Abercrombie & Fitch as if trespassing into a popular girl’s closet. It’s where America turned its public square over to private control, letting rent-a-cops reign and “Paul Blart” rise. It was a one-stop destination for American psychodrama.

What American Dream offers is alienation-plus. Everything that used to be outside — water slides, amusement parks, ski runs — is inside now. Every surface is synergized. The press release announcing American Dream’s partnership with Coca-Cola is an opus of corporate jargon: it speaks of “branded in-venue activations” and the “total beverage portfolio.”

And every American Dream attraction is the most extreme possible version of that thing. As I exited the ski hill and charted a course for the amusement park, a PR handler rattled off the development’s accomplishments. Big Snow is the largest indoor ski hill in the Western Hemisphere; Nickelodeon Universe has the roller coaster with the steepest drop in the world; the DreamWorks water park, when it opens, will host the world’s biggest wave pool. Also on site are “the first Angry Birds mini-golf attraction in North America” and IT’SUGAR, “the world’s largest non-manufacturer candy store.”

The whole place is vulgar, which I happen to appreciate. At the entrance to IT’SUGAR — a brand name styled like a desperate scream — stands a 60-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty constructed from green jelly beans. She holds a lollipop for a torch and wears a sash that says: “You know you want it.” At her feet is written: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning for the sweet life, and I will give you IT’SUGAR.”

Just next door to this chilling spectacle is Nickelodeon Universe, a nostalgia factory themed around “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Legends of the Hidden Temple.” As soon as I arrived, I unsuspectingly boarded the roller coaster with the steepest drop of all drops anywhere in the world. The ride rocketed us up to the ceiling, then held us against the window, taunting us with a view of the Manhattan skyline before executing its 121.5-degree drop. I clutched my harness and wept in horror. I was Tai in “Clueless,” hung over the balcony and shaken by a mall I had just met.

 

[Vicetrailia]

The mall of America on steroids huh.

 

[Halo is Back]

No thanks

 

[Ownage]

This is going to be the poster child of the upcoming recession.

 

[Mihos]

I like it.

Needs more arcade, though

 

[Paulxo87]

I live about 40 minutes away. Have not been yet. They were charging 30+ dollars for parking once it first opened but I believe they backed down from that after some protest... They have been working on this for over a decade apparently. Could have fooled me.

Pretty funny we have a libtard dipshit governor who bitches about climate change yet shows up to the ribbon cutting ceremony of this fucking thing with open arms.

 

[EverydayBeast]

There's a lot going on at that mall... when I was a kid I was super stoked to go to the gaming stores at the mall so I can only imagine being a kid now... NEXT LEVEL MALL.

 

[infinitys_7th]

Is that an Avatar roller coast?

And I mean the good Avatar, not the blue furry Fern Gully rip-off.

 

[ClanOfNone]

They can film a badass zombie movie there in a decade when it's a ghost town.

 

[TindalosPup]

This picture spoke volumes to me:

A mall is always a mall, no matter the name it goes by or it's contents, something's just never change. No matter how much fun you add to it this will always be family time at the mall: Mom's irritated, Dad looks like the situation is painful, and the kid wants to do all the fun things the other kids are doing

 

[MaestroMike]

Lol what's up with that last pic they look worried.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Fiefs are back!

 

[Ownage]

Fiefs are back!

Plead the fief?

 

[nush]

A cross between a theme park and a mall, both would be better served as dedicated things rather than this hybrid. I can't see this lasting long or even as long as the 17 years its taken to build, the fact that it's opened unfinished is telling.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Watch it close in the next 5 years.

The mall of America on steroids huh.

Basically.

 

[brap]

Watch it close in the next 5 years.

Why do you care? Will your venture out of your loli sex dungeon to visit it? No.

 

[Foamy]

Indoor water parks are cool. Indoor ski parks? Not so much.

 

[nush]

Indoor water parks are cool. Indoor ski parks? Not so much.

Indoor ski parks are not even a new thing, but here is being pushed as the best thing.

 

[Mista]

That’s a city right there. Many activities too which is great! Sadly I hate malls or I would’ve made this among the list when visiting the US

 

[Kenpachii]

If only somebody told them about the internet.

 

[Birdo]

Well, I know where I'm going when the Zombie invasion happens.

 

[SirKicksalot]

Found this picture of the candy store:

Was it designed by Verhoeven?

 

[Kev Kev]

Found this picture of the candy store:

Was it designed by Verhoeven?

lol looks straight out of dead rising

"you know you want it!"

 

[GAMETA]

Wow, why does it feel so empty? It's depressing almost...

Shopping Malls in Brazil are still doing well, maybe it's the fact that most fast-food, high profile stores and cinema theaters are in malls? The city I live in has at least 5 big malls, one of them is the biggest of Latin America, and they're always full of people any day.

Are malls really dying in the US?

 

[Shizumapower]

Wow, why does it feel so empty? It's depressing almost...

Shopping Malls in Brazil are still doing well, maybe it's the fact that most fast-food, high profile stores and cinema theaters are in malls? The city I live in has at least 5 big malls, one of them is the biggest of Latin America, and they're always full of people any day.

Are malls really dying in the US?

DeadMalls.com

www.deadmalls.com

Internet / Amazon / eBay gave us choice.

Also see GameStop currently.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Plead the fief?

Build the mall!

 

[Doom85]

Are malls really dying in the US?

I mean, I think it depends on the area. In terms of malls that are within 45 minutes of my house, two malls have closed since the turn of the century and I'm sure another one is on borrowed time since its traffic is often low when I visit. But the one nearest my house is always busy, and then about 25 minutes away are two malls that, no joke, are about 1.5 miles apart from each other and yet anytime I go into either they always have a good crowd in them.

So, I guess malls are dying, but anyone thinking all malls are just going to vanish anytime soon is likely wrong.

 

[GAMETA]

DeadMalls.com

www.deadmalls.com

Internet / Amazon / eBay gave us choice.

Also see GameStop currently.

We do have those too, you know... maybe it's a matter of physical location/distance? Malls around here are usually at the heart of the cities, they are pretty close from residential districts, sometimes in residential districts...

I've never been to the US but from what I hear everything's pretty far apart, maybe that's the problem?.. around here most things are close by, there's always a supermarket around the corner, a mall here and there... you don't need a car to do anything as long as you're not in some distant exclusive residential area, but then, even those will have a local market... lot's of people go to the malls on foot... maybe that's why... I don't know

 

[Dontero]

can't wait for proper recession. That 2008 wasn't recession really but government fuckup and nothing was fixed.
Once proper recession will hit it will cleanse economy from dead wood and remove most of socialism that spread like cancer over years since last recession.

 

[GAMETA]

can't wait for proper recession. That 2008 wasn't recession really but government fuckup and nothing was fixed.
Once proper recession will hit it will cleanse economy from dead wood and remove most of socialism that spread like cancer over years since last recession.

I don't think recession can fix the cancer that both CA and NY have become... the rich will still be rich after all, won't they?

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Are malls really dying in the US?

Depends where you live.

Where im at we have King of Prussia mall, currently the largest mall in the world and it's doing just fine. They also just rebuilt The Gallery but there are 6 million people in Metro Philly so having malls are probably a safe bet for the foreseeable future. I suspect in small town and less populated places malls are dying since Amazon.


As for the Mall in the OP, I'll be there in a few weeks with the kids to check it out.

 

[Punished Miku]

It's something to do I guess? If I was nearby I'm sure I'd check it out once. I have no interest in the theme park stuff though honestly. Sometimes it's still fun to walk around a few stores.

 

[MetalAlien]

Malls in America are all food and clothes now. The two things that are hard to do right online. Gone are the days when you could get anything at the mall which is why I never go to them.

 

[xrnzaaas]

So they're copying the "indoor ski hills" from the Arabs? C'mon, America has snow.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Sounds pretty neat to me. Could be a fun way to spend a couple days. I assume there is a hotel attached?

This seems like what Vegas hotels are trying to do.

 

[EviLore]

Sounds pretty neat to me. Could be a fun way to spend a couple days. I assume there is a hotel attached?

This seems like what Vegas hotels are trying to do.

Doesn't seem to be a hotel attached. No need, though; it's five miles away from Manhattan, no shortage of options. Looks like they're expecting 40 million tourists to visit in 2020.

 

[Lanrutcon]

Aren't those icicles forming in the rafters of that slope a hazard? Doesn't look like the skiers are wearing protective gear.

 

[Gargus]

Lol what's up with that last pic they look worried.

They were probably asked to go swimming in that pool for a promotional picture, or worse yet.....to go ice skating/skiing.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

That's Costco from Idiocracy beta version 1.1.0.

 

[triplestation]

a single vulture circles high up in the sky

the name of that vulture?

jeff

 

[Dontero]

I don't think recession can fix the cancer that both CA and NY have become... the rich will still be rich after all, won't they?

I am not talking about "recession" which is what people called 2008 and dot bubble. I am talking about real recession in vein of 30s.
Since 2008 trilions of dollars were printed without cover and there wasn't any bump in inflation, since at least 2011 Europe also prints money in trilions of € also without much effect on inflation. Chinese yuan is one big finantial shit that no one even tries to hide.

BUT you can see government debts skyrocketing.

Which means that that inflation is hidden in debt. It is ticking timebomb that requires mild crisis to push it over the edge now. Once that happens that debt will have to liquidated as people will want to cash out from this asap which further will push things.
Once that happens we will be talking about companies shutting one after another with dozens milions of people losing jobs just in US alone but way more in Europe. Most of people savings will be gone as their houses and stock prices will fall down.

Once that will happen people will be looking how to fix problems which means they will ignore safety for risk, all social programs will either way be gone because goverments will be insolvent if they want to deliver their social obligations.

It might take longer or shorter but for sure it will happen. I expect it in next 10-15 years. For next at least 10 years they will still be growing debt.
AI will be the spark here as it will naturally cause creative destruction that will push things over and splill everything.

 

[Master Of Illusion]

This thing is 10 minutes from me and it's causing no new traffic.

But we entering the roaring 20's people, so it's fine! It's not like that ended terribly the last time.

 

[nbcjr]

If there is free transportation from Manhattan it has a chance. NJ's outlet is always full.

 

[nush]

Sunbright Films has added this to their Abandoned series with a new video today. This malls fucked, and then there was a pandemic. The whold construction story is absolutely insane, well worth a watch.

 

[hariseldon]

The people in here predicting a recession were bang on!

 

[EviLore]

Annnnnnnnnd

 

[ClanOfNone]

This thing was doomed from the start, the pandemic probably just hastened the process.

I still don't understand the thought process behind it. Malls are dying across the country and have been for years, but some geniuses thought it would be a great idea to build a bigger mall packed with more expensive shit.

 

[Kenpachii]

Yea specially in the age of internet.

 

[VenomousCoffee]

The quotes in the first post sound like an Onion article. No shit, this thing failed.

 

[-Minsc-]

Movies are movies. Reality is. There are dreams in my own life I have to consider letting go. Rather, let go. Childhood wonder only goes so far. That is not a bad thing.