U.S. Mall only for the One Percenters

[MrCassdin]

As a kid I used to go to that Mall when visiting my Grandparents all the time.

I wouldn't be able to set foot in there now as a 99%er.

Isn't this a GOOD thing. After all, you're pissed they have this money (and jealous) shouldn't you be GLAD they are getting rid of some of that money? You're a hypocrite.

 

[jhu]

As a kid I used to go to that Mall when visiting my Grandparents all the time.

I wouldn't be able to set foot in there now as a 99%er.

Oh really? Do they actively turn you away or something? Do you have to bring your tax returns as proof? I went to Costco the other day and they wouldn't let me enter because I didn't have a "membership card". And yet a bunch of middle-class looking people seem to be able to enter Costco for some reason.

 

[werepossum]

Oh really? Do they actively turn you away or something? Do you have to bring your tax returns as proof? I went to Costco the other day and they wouldn't let me enter because I didn't have a "membership card". And yet a bunch of middle-class looking people seem to be able to enter Costco for some reason.

It's the same with malls. You have to present your 1% membership card to get inside. It's gold, and you have to kick a puppy to get it. Mine keeps bending. Stupid soft gold. I told the card committee they should be made from the broken dreams of the 99%.

 

[smackababy]

It's the same with malls. You have to present your 1% membership card to get inside. It's gold, and you have to kick a puppy to get it. Mine keeps bending. Stupid soft gold. I told the card committee they should be made from the broken dreams of the 99%.

This. It is obvious he isn't a part of the 1%, as he doesn't even know about the membership card... Next, he isn't going to know how to use the three seashells.

 

[werepossum]

This. It is obvious he isn't a part of the 1%, as he doesn't even know about the membership card... Next, he isn't going to know how to use the three seashells.

Sssh, otnay niay ontfray fayo ethay ablleray!

 

[trenchfoot]

Here in Hawaii, we have the Ala Moana Shopping Center, built in the early 60's, then anchored on both ends by Sears and Liberty House, with maybe a hundred other shops in-between primarily targeted for servicing the local population. This place was touted as one of, if not the world's largest shopping center at the time.

Since then, I've watched how that shopping center evolve into what is now primarily a conglomeration of high end boutique style shops with practically every major high fashion designer setting up shop, especially along the mall. What's so curious about those high end shops are that every one of them have for the most part, very few customers in them at any given time. I've always wondered how these shops stay afloat. There are a few plank owning survivors there, but this shopping center has now focused on the 1% and heavily on the tourist trade for income and especially so the Japanese tourist trade.

There was a time within this evolution when there was what I consider to be a healthy mix of "high end" and "working stiff" vendors, a rather Bohemian cornucopia of styles and affordability that was quite enjoyable to cruise through, especially when holiday shopping season came around.

When Sears got booted out to make way for the likes of Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom is when I gave up going there except when I wanted to park in their parking lot to watch the New Year's fireworks show across the street at Ala Moana Park.

My how that place has changed.

edit - I guess a friend of mine summed it all up in a nutshell when he told me "yeah, we go over there every once in awhile to look at all the things we can't afford".

 

[jhu]

Here in Hawaii, we have the Ala Moana Shopping Center, built in the early 60's, then anchored on both ends by Sears and Liberty House, with maybe a hundred other shops in-between primarily targeted for servicing the local population. This place was touted as one of, if not the world's largest shopping center at the time.

Since then, I've watched how that shopping center evolve into what is now primarily a conglomeration of high end boutique style shops with practically every major high fashion designer setting up shop, especially along the mall. What's so curious about those high end shops are that every one of them have for the most part, very few customers in them at any given time. I've always wondered how these shops stay afloat. There are a few plank owning survivors there, but this shopping center has now focused on the 1% and heavily on the tourist trade for income and especially so the Japanese tourist trade.

There was a time within this evolution when there was what I consider to be a healthy mix of "high end" and "working stiff" vendors, a rather Bohemian cornucopia of styles and affordability that was quite enjoyable to cruise through, especially when holiday shopping season came around.

When Sears got booted out to make way for the likes of Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom is when I gave up going there except when I wanted to park in their parking lot to watch the New Year's fireworks show across the street at Ala Moana Park.

My how that place has changed.

edit - I guess a friend of mine summed it all up in a nutshell when he told me "yeah, we go over there every once in awhile to look at all the things we can't afford".

I've been there. You're crazy if you think stores like Macy's, ABC, LEGO, Gamestop, etc. are only affordable by 1%ers.

 

[FerrelGeek]

This is Dave's MO; you've been here long enough and should know that by now. He's a one-note symphony in b*tch major.

OK - NYC has these shops as well,.. one in particular has been around since 1837 (Tiffanys) - what is your point OP?

That malls use to be Americana Middle Class? And the idea of malls has been taken away from them?? Be it a strip of shops on 5th Ave, or a strip mall of high end crap - it doesn't mean anyone is encroaching or suppressing anyone,.. over anything. It's a retail store - and rich folks have been shopping at them for quite some time.

If anything, this,..

,.. means that rich people don't know or care to shop around - which again,.. this concept has been around for quite a while.

Trust me, I love to bash the rich, but this is quite a stretch dude bro - tone it down.

 

[MagickMan]

If you put Dave and Moonie in close proximity to each other, together they'd produce enough suck to create a singularity so powerful it would crush our solar system.

 

[Pulsar]

It would be nice if we could start banning people for drive-by posting. That is, dropping a bullshit title and a single thoughtless comment or post to stir shit, then never returning to the thread even once.

It's not discussion when the poster never comes back to actually argue his viewpoint. It's a decidedly weak-minded person who engages in that type of posting.

 

[trenchfoot]

I've been there. You're crazy if you think stores like Macy's, ABC, LEGO, Gamestop, etc. are only affordable by 1%ers.

Not crazy, just reminiscent of the days back in the 60's and 70's when 95% of the shopping center was targeted at middle-class folk like me as compared with the solid majority of the shops going up-scale like it is now and continuously trending that way.

The last time I went into the ABC store at AMSC a couple of years ago, I got sticker shock realizing that the prices in there were just like those targeted at the tourist trade in Waikiki. In fact all of the pricing I saw whether it was at Longs Drugs, Foodland Supermarket, etc. was at least 20-25% higher or more than the same named stores in the outlying districts (excepting sale items). Same goes for all the other shops there because the owners of the shopping center raised rents and leases for mall space that drove Sears and the like out of the Center in favor of those up-scale vendors who were more than willing to pay more.

It's like the shopping center now belongs in the Waikiki tourist district and not belonging to the local populace anymore.

edit - I do go there occasionally to eat though. The food at the Center is eclectic and quite decent.

 

[halik]

I'm poor and I can't afford things I want.

ftfy

Maybe instead of blaming some nonsense that's "keeping you down", you should try working at least as hard as your grandparents to do better than them?

Immigrants like myself are beating you left and right and we're doing 30% better than our parents; chiefly because we're not entitled, lazy fucks:
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2013/02/FINAL_immigrant_generations_report_2-7-13.pdf

 

[Mai72]

When I was in Bangkok, Thailand I'd frequent the Bang Kapi mall. It had everything. 5 floors. A shopping center with organic produce. Huge electronic section with gaming laptops, big screen TVs, etc.. A movie theater, a night club for young people, automotive section, high end clothing, restaurants, fast food stores, and even cosmetic shops. If you wanted botox you would go here! The mall was slammed with customers throughout the day.

In America our malls ate dying. I think our declining middle class has something to do with it. I also think Amazon and the internet is the big culprit though. Why go to the mall when I can get practically anything I want online? The only time I would need to go to the mall is when I need to buy clothing. That's it.