It’s All at the Mall

It’s All at the Mall

Okay, raise your hand if you love shopping. What? No men? In the American stereotype, women love spending a day shopping at the mall, while men sit glumly on a bench, holding the bags. (And we thank them for that. :) ) A large mall is a shopper’s dream come true; there are specialty stores for everything! There are stores for kids and stores for kitchens; stores for makeup and stores for men; bookstores and shoe stores and toy stores and drugstores . . . well, you get the idea. Malls have at least one anchor department store. This is the place to head if you prefer shopping for everything in one store. These large stores carry everything from clothing to housewares. Want to smell like a million bucks? Stop at the perfume counter for a free sample of your favorite fragrance. And that’s the main advantage of a department store or big indoor shopping mall—you can shop for everything in one place. There are no worries about bad weather. Even your car can stay dry and warm in the mall parking garage! (Raise your hand if you’ve ever lost your car in a parking garage. “But I was so sure I parked right . . . here . . . ”)

Although the large, enclosed malls bring people from all over, the suburbs also have smaller, local malls. These strip malls usually have convenience shops where people can take care of their errands. The stores are lined up next to each other, and the front doors open onto an outdoor walkway. Strip malls usually have a small takeout restaurant, a dry cleaner, a bank branch, and a drugstore. Parking is right in front of the stores, so people can hop out quickly and run in for what they need. In bad weather this may not be fun, but it’s much quicker than parking in a large garage at the mall. And it’s easier to find your car!

LIA: Hey, look outside. Very bad weather . . . very good mall day!

ALAN: No! Not the mall! Anything but the mall!

LIA: Calm down. You won’t have to go into every store with me. I just want to do some window-shopping. Besides, the sporting goods store is having a great sale on sports equipment. You might find the tennis racket you’ve been looking for. Look at this ad from the paper: “Super sale! Many rackets to choose from!”

ALAN: Yeah. I really do need a new tennis racket. Okay, if I go, how much time will we have to spend there? I’d like to watch the game this afternoon.

LIA: We don’t have to stay very long. There are a few things I’d like to look at in the department store, so that will take less time than walking around the whole mall.

ALAN: Going to the sporting goods store is a great idea. Actually, if there aren’t too many stores you plan to visit, then I don’t mind going with you. In fact, maybe we could stop at a big box store on the way home. I could use some garden supplies.

LIA: Sure! If we make a day of it, we could have lunch at the food court.

ALAN: I’d rather stop at the strip mall in town and get fried chicken takeout.

LIA: If you come with me to the mall, we can have anything you want for lunch!