Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

u4ic

(17,134 posts)
61. Now, it's the exit door
Tue May 19, 2026, 02:33 AM
19 hrs ago
I hate malls. But I will step inside to get some Purdy's chocolate, especially their milk chocolate and lemon bar.

As a kid, I loved the climbing blocks that kids would play on in the smaller mall near us. They would rotate and yes, kids fell off all the time. No one was seriously hurt and the mall was never sued as far as I know. Parents would leave the kids there, in the centre of the mall and do their shopping.

In the larger mall, there was a theatre that parents would leave their kids on Saturday mornings and shop. Plenty of cartoons and I'm sure I also watched the Pink Panther movies there too on those Saturday mornings.

As a teen, hanging out in the record store, in the Zellers restaurant with my friends (cheap and tasty fries and gravy,) and, of course, clothes shopping. Back then, stores in malls had actual Boxing Day sales, 70-90% off. You could take $50 and come back with a year's worth of clothing and shoes! Now the Boxing Day sales are maybe 25% off at best.


Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

The ice skating rink. (Monroeville Mall). Loved watching people livetohike Sunday #1
I read that too. The last time I was there was pre covid. I heard it was going downhill. I used to buy a hot dog and debm55 Sunday #2
The independent retailers 31st Street Bridge Yesterday #27
Thank you for sharing your memories with us, 31st Street Bridge.Do you remember the Thomas Kincade store at Monroeville debm55 Yesterday #34
I skated there as a kid. Dulcinea Yesterday #28
Thank you, Dulcinea. Tha memeories of the trees and fountains.too debm55 Yesterday #35
I grew up in Monroeville too ( in University Park). livetohike Yesterday #39
Those from childhood are undoubtedly all gone. But I went to the opening of Colorado's Park Meadows Mall hlthe2b Sunday #3
Thank you very much hithe2b. That fireplace sounds wonderful. debm55 Sunday #4
The piano in the food court. Galleria at South Bay. I haven't been there in years LoisB Sunday #5
Fantastic, Thank you so much for sharing with us, LoisB. debm55 Sunday #6
The Sears and JC Penneys stores. House of Roberts Sunday #7
Thank you very much for sharing with us, House of Roberts. debm55 Sunday #9
I've never liked malls PJMcK Sunday #8
Thank you very much, PJMcK for sharing. I remember the parking lot too. debm55 Sunday #10
As a teenager my favorite locations at the mall were Niagara Sunday #11
Thank you very much, Niagara. I remember Auntie Annie's too debm55 Sunday #12
local chinese spot at food court. but i needed to be bribed to go. xmas worse. wongs wok sweet + sour chicken. pansypoo53219 Sunday #13
Thank you, very much for sharing with us, pansypoo53219. In our food court we had a woman who would give out samples of debm55 Yesterday #19
Orange Julius JoseBalow Sunday #14
Thank you very much,JoseBalow. I loved Orange Julius. debm55 Yesterday #20
The mall was like walking through a Sear catalog LogDog75 Sunday #15
Thank you so much for sharing that with us. LogDog75 debm55 Yesterday #21
That's easy lol, the video game arcade. JMCKUSICK Yesterday #16
Thank you , John. My son and his friends could be fould there and in the hat store. debm55 Yesterday #22
The bookstore and the toy store Mad_Dem_X Yesterday #17
Thank you very much for sharing with us, Mad_Dem_X. We had 2 bookstores and 2 stores. They were long gone before the debm55 Yesterday #23
Years ago... working at one! Nittersing Yesterday #18
What wonderful memories. Thank you Nittersing for sharing with us. debm55 Yesterday #24
Did anyone have a Glamour Shots at their mall? debm55 Yesterday #25
Yes, there was a Glamour Shots at my mall Niagara Yesterday #54
Thank you, Niagara. I thought it was strange to have this done. But for a time it was populara. Never went in or had it debm55 Yesterday #55
You're welcome, Debbie. You know one thing I wished I had done was the Niagara Yesterday #56
HAHHAHHAHHAHA. I did build one. I still have it. It's a Sailor Bear. debm55 Yesterday #58
Very nice Niagara Yesterday #59
Was (and still is) South Hills Village some_of_us_are_sane Yesterday #26
Thank you very much for sharing your memories. some_of _us_are_sane. I have been to South Hills Village. I liked their debm55 Yesterday #37
The first enclosed mall I remember is the first one anywhere, Southdale, in a Minneapolis suburb. Ocelot II Yesterday #29
Thank you very much for sharing your memories with us. I always wanted to go to the Mall of America . just for the heck debm55 Yesterday #38
I loved independent fashion stores and bookstores Grim Chieftain Yesterday #30
HAHAHAHAHAAH. it dates me too. Thank you for sharing your memories with us, Grim Chieftain. debm55 Yesterday #52
The old malls had wide corridors and wide concourses. John1956PA Yesterday #31
Yes, I have been to Ross Park and the walkway is narrow. Thank you John1956PA debm55 Yesterday #51
Many years ago my husband and I would walk around the mall at Christmas time. TommieMommy Yesterday #32
Thank you very much, TommieMommy. That sounds wonderful. I always liked the Mall at Christmas time. debm55 Yesterday #50
The Food Court at the Danbury Mall in CT... FalloutShelter Yesterday #33
That sounds wonderful, FalloutShelter. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. debm55 Yesterday #49
Newberry enid602 Yesterday #36
Thank you, so much for sharing your memories with us, enid602 debm55 Yesterday #48
Greengate Mall in Greensburg PA was my mall. johnp3907 Yesterday #40
As a preteen and teen, we lived in North Huntington.( Irwin area) I loved Greengate Mall.Thank you, johnp3907 debm55 Yesterday #47
When my wife was pregnant with my first son and after his birth... NNadir Yesterday #41
What a heart warming memory to share with us, NNadir.Blessings to you and your family. debm55 Yesterday #46
I honestly never liked malls CanonRay Yesterday #42
Thank you for sharing CanonRay. As I got older, I would park by the entrance near the store I wanted to go to, Go in and debm55 Yesterday #45
I lived in the arcade Phentex Yesterday #43
Thank you very much for sharing your memories with us, Phentex. debm55 Yesterday #44
When they had the new cars, boats and RV shows. They charged so much doc03 Yesterday #53
Thank you doc03. I didn't know that. At one time I was making teddy bears. I wanted to try and sell them at the Mall. It debm55 Yesterday #57
I never had a local mall except later in life in Brooklyn...while back in the day.... electric_blue68 20 hrs ago #60
Thank you very much for sharing with us, electric_blue 68 debm55 14 hrs ago #62
Now, it's the exit door u4ic 19 hrs ago #61
Thank you very much for sharing your memories with us, u4lc. debm55 14 hrs ago #63
Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»What is/was your favorite...»Reply #61