Mall Audio: Modern Shopping Mall Life Cycles

On May 20, of last month, the state of the American shopping mall (or de-mall) was discussed on a segment of NPR's (National Public Radio) All Things Considered show. California's Sherman Oaks Galleria is mentioned, along with Northgate Center (Seattle) and Laurel Mall (Washington DC). Click the title below to visit the page and listen to the segment.

"A Mall Makeover" - Shopping malls are an icon of American pop culture, but they face extinction unless they modernize. Debbie Elliott visits a Washington, D.C., area mall that's getting a makeover for the 21st century.

Thanks to Chris, of Exquisitely Bored in Nacogdoches, for the link!

Northland Center Mall 1975

Southfield, Michigan - circa 1975

Here's a great overhead view of the Northland Shopping Center in Southfield, Michigan (suburb of Detroit) around 1975, a year after it was expanded and fully enclosed to become a true "shopping mall". Seen here is not only the four-level Hudson's Department Store looming in back, but also the mall's (then) newer JCPenney anchor store (lower-right corner), and the new Montgomery Ward addition, which I believe is the store just to left of Penney's, both of which were added in 1974.

Mall history: 1954 - present
Architect: Victor Gruen
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
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