Why Are Malls Turning Into Ghost Towns?

Once thriving malls are crumbling in ruins and becoming ghost towns. A nearly empty 1.2-million-square-foot mall outside of downtown Los Angeles that was made famous when it was featured in the film "Back to the Future" is now another ghost mall with escalators still running. However, there are very few shoppers and many storefronts are shuttered with barred security gates. Inside Edition's Jim Moret has more.

[mytruecrimelibrary]

I like shopping in person, especially for clothes and gifts for loved ones.

[Cobalt]

You can thank Amazon and COVID for this.

[jakebluethunder]

It's really sad to see this especially since malls were the place to be back in the day. You could shop, eat and socialize all under one roof. E-commerce really changed the shopping landscape and COVID made it permanent.

[benjammin]

As someone who works as a vendor in the malls every holiday season, malls in 2022 did amazing. Last year, it was horrendously bad. Our sales numbers were down in the entire region in all the malls. A lot of the mall staff higher ups believe malls will probably be gone within 10 years.

[DCampusano]

It’s actually quite sad to see what's happened to malls across the country. Malls used to be such vibrant and bustling places where people would gather, shop and socialize.

[michaelwilliams]

Malls aren't the same anymore! During my younger years, I really enjoyed going to the mall to buy clothes, grab a bite to eat, & go to the movies! Plus, I absolutely enjoyed visiting the bookstores & record stores!

[juanmorales]

What they need to do is add popular stores young people frequently shop at. Nobody will order online to wait a few days to get their items when they can drive to the nearest mall and pick up the same item in 15 minutes. But the thing is these people don’t adapt to change and don’t competitively compete against online shopping.

[dannigro]

Ironically, even back to the future couldn’t of predicted, that malls would be obsolete

[TylenOneal]

As someone who loves the Dan Bell’s Dead Malls Series, It’s so sad to see malls just left to rot. Like turn them into indoor apartments or something. Have food courts re-open so that the people living in the inside can chill knowing they can just walk without worry of being in traffic or getting out in nasty weather

[Amber]

I hope all malls don’t close down. I love going to the mall 😢

[RAMIRZ]

Same reason why rental places like videos stores dont exist anymore, and why people hardly go to movie theaters. Cause social media ruined everything.

[marleyboy]

You can also thank the owner of the mall. Lots of retailers say these owners really jack up the prices for rent. Its a shame. Im an 80s kid and this was the best way to socialize & get out of the house. Miss those days.

[spidermanlover]

As a teenager, I miss the days my mom used to take me to the mall when I was little. Now the one we always used to go to is dead pretty much. Barely any stores plus crime so hardly anyone goes there anymore.

[carlos_marcello]

Its such a shame the malls arent what they use to be. Every holiday season i would just go to the mall with my parents and family then as I grew older i went with friends or a gf and just walk around while holiday music was playing. Sales were everywhere and people were so much nicer. No stress, no worries, just having a good time and enjoying life. What i wouldn't give to go back to those days.😢

[truthteller]

I like how they're finally covering issues that's been quite obvious for the last 20 years.

[RudieObias]

Malls have been dying for more than 15 years now. More people shop online or go to Walmart or Target. This is nothing new

[jsoe]

It depends on the location as well. The Puente Hills mall, which was shown in the clip, is competing against nearby malls such as Westfield Santa Anita and West Covina. The Santa Anita one recently opened a 99 Ranch Market and is packed on the weekends.

[Karmalu]

For all my South FL people know Dadeland Mall, Dolphin Mall, and The Falls would never die out. They’re packed literally everyday lol

[michaelhans]

Not in Asia or southeast Asia it's damn crowded here every weekend😅

[duckmercy]

Two keys to making malls successful in 2024: 1) services/experiences over retail (more bowling alleys, bars and hair salons, less expensive stores) and 2) high-density housing MUST be developed on-site (built-in customers). The latter is how it works overseas in places like Hong Kong.