Vintage photos of lost Shopping Malls of the '50s, '60s & '70s
That Lee Scott guy has issues. :|
Yes, Lee Scott does indeed have issues. It's a disease called greed. Perhaps you've heard of it? Our current President is afflicted with it as well. That and denial.
I've stopped shopping at WalMart altogether but for the same reasons you give - I'd prefer to support local businesses whenever possible. The whole issue of the sweat shops in China is not really a WalMart issue - it's a human rights issue. We should be appalled that those environments exist but hold the Chinese government responsible for fostering them.p.s. - love the blog. I grew up in the 70's when Woodfield Mall (Schaumburg, IL) was the largest in the world and had an ice rink and pre-IMAX, humongous movie theaters.
To bring this back full-circle to our usual focus on the aesthetics of shopping, I find visiting Wal-Mart to be a very drab and boring experience. Unlike Target, their graphics and layout are extremely spartan and uninteresting. And unlike an old down-at-the-heel Kmart (or any of the other discounters that have since vanished), their stores lack any idiosyncracies -- no funky smells, dated signage, or enormous air conditioner vents in the ceiling. If you've seen one Wal-Mart (at least in my area), you've seen them all, unless the city planning department has forced them to at least have an unique facade that fits in with the neighborhood.As for the economic effects of Wal-Mart, I've never been too sentimental about the loss of many independent retailers. As a shopper, it's nice to know what to expect... and many of the Ace Hardware or Ben Franklin types of stores are pretty hit-or-miss in terms of merchandise, presentation, or even service. What I do miss are the medium-sized chains that are all but gone from the landscape. To me they offered the best of both worlds, the benefits of a professionally managed store operation offering reasonable prices and selection while still reflecting the uniqueness of the region.I'm a bit undecided about the effect Wal-Mart is having on enclosed malls. I think the death of many malls is a symptom of some sort of larger cultural and economic unraveling that pervades America today. Ten years ago, I could have never imagined once-successful malls with shuttered storefronts, teetering on the edge of extinction. They just seemed like they'd be there forever. Now I realize how fragile of a fantasyland they were and are. And I think it sort of reflects on the vulnerability, if you will, of elements of our entire free-market economic system. That's what's scary to me.
WAL MART SUCKS, IT ALWAYS DID AND ALWAYS WILL. I stick to the better times as much as possible without ever stepping foot in Wal Mart. I shop for food at a grocery store, go to the tire store for tires and automotive work, and go to the mall or selective botiques for clothes.This store RUINED AMERICA!!!!!!
That Lee Scott guy has issues. :|
ReplyDeleteYes, Lee Scott does indeed have issues. It's a disease called greed. Perhaps you've heard of it? Our current President is afflicted with it as well. That and denial.
ReplyDeleteI've stopped shopping at WalMart altogether but for the same reasons you give - I'd prefer to support local businesses whenever possible.
ReplyDeleteThe whole issue of the sweat shops in China is not really a WalMart issue - it's a human rights issue. We should be appalled that those environments exist but hold the Chinese government responsible for fostering them.
p.s. - love the blog. I grew up in the 70's when Woodfield Mall (Schaumburg, IL) was the largest in the world and had an ice rink and pre-IMAX, humongous movie theaters.
To bring this back full-circle to our usual focus on the aesthetics of shopping, I find visiting Wal-Mart to be a very drab and boring experience. Unlike Target, their graphics and layout are extremely spartan and uninteresting. And unlike an old down-at-the-heel Kmart (or any of the other discounters that have since vanished), their stores lack any idiosyncracies -- no funky smells, dated signage, or enormous air conditioner vents in the ceiling. If you've seen one Wal-Mart (at least in my area), you've seen them all, unless the city planning department has forced them to at least have an unique facade that fits in with the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteAs for the economic effects of Wal-Mart, I've never been too sentimental about the loss of many independent retailers. As a shopper, it's nice to know what to expect... and many of the Ace Hardware or Ben Franklin types of stores are pretty hit-or-miss in terms of merchandise, presentation, or even service. What I do miss are the medium-sized chains that are all but gone from the landscape. To me they offered the best of both worlds, the benefits of a professionally managed store operation offering reasonable prices and selection while still reflecting the uniqueness of the region.
I'm a bit undecided about the effect Wal-Mart is having on enclosed malls. I think the death of many malls is a symptom of some sort of larger cultural and economic unraveling that pervades America today. Ten years ago, I could have never imagined once-successful malls with shuttered storefronts, teetering on the edge of extinction. They just seemed like they'd be there forever. Now I realize how fragile of a fantasyland they were and are. And I think it sort of reflects on the vulnerability, if you will, of elements of our entire free-market economic system. That's what's scary to me.
WAL MART SUCKS, IT ALWAYS DID AND ALWAYS WILL. I stick to the better times as much as possible without ever stepping foot in Wal Mart. I shop for food at a grocery store, go to the tire store for tires and automotive work, and go to the mall or selective botiques for clothes.
ReplyDeleteThis store RUINED AMERICA!!!!!!