Kristin's Final Thoughts
I noticed something interesting. Throughout my entire two-week journey traveling in Memorial City Mall, not one person noticed it was somewhat idiosyncratic that I was carrying a notebook and making observations in the mall. I did not even receive a strange stare, much less inquiring questions. Maybe everyone thought I was some secret mall critic or sneaky news reporter. I believe the most likely reason is that everyone is too self-involved with their lives to give a stranger a passing glance. Many customers had that blank “mall” stare-too much fun shopping or being extremely overwhelmed by all the vast choices.
Researching Memorial City Mall proved to be a challenge. I discovered new things and applied my general knowledge of malls to create a broad conclusion: malls will always be a major focal point of Americans. Shopping has always been about how much you can spend in as little time as possible. Even more important, what did you spend it on? We define ourselves by what we buy. Malls strongly reinforce this point to the fullest degree. The most popular teenage hangout besides the movies is the mall. Malls are the channel to their lives. Dates are made or broken, tears are shed, giggles over that cute boy or girl, and the fragile balance of life is held in the outstretched palm of the mall. Plus, it is just too darn fun to show off your newest clothes or electronic gadget. Whether we like it or not, malls are here to stay.