I just drove by a mall

[nadinbrzezinski]

I happen to live near one...

1.- Usually during this time of the year that is sheer insanity. What would usually take you ten minutes, goes to half an hour to forty five minutes... not today.

2.- I have only been delayed this joyful (not if you are a retailer) holiday season ONCE since "black Friday."

Folks from this and other reports I will only hazard the guess that this has been all but a joyful season... can all of you say Recesion? I think it is finally going to be official by the first quarter of next year. There is a limit on how much you can spin this and dance around it

By the way, happy holidays

[whistle]

1. Same here in Orlando at the newest un the area, Mall at Millennium

...retail sales will be a big dissappointment this year

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I wonder how long until they can't spin it any longer?

[whistle]

35. They will not be able to hide the poor retail sales numbers after

...Christmas, so depending on how bad the numbers are, and I think they will be terrible, I expect that BushCo will be very hard pressed to continue going on with the story that the U.S. economy is vigorous and growing. It is a false economy, based on war expenditures, huge Federal budget deficits which are having NO residual long term effects for the economy as a whole. This is why Bush keeps clinging to the tax breaks for the rich who are really the only ones spending anything. I hate to think just how bad the coming economic collapse will be. I fear it will be worse than anyone expects.

Our economy is broken thanks to six years of looting from the Bush administration and all the corporate exportation of prime jobs and our manufacturing base overseas to cheap labor markets. The free market global economy is a total sham. Monetary policy with private banks controlling the money supply and the value of U.S. currency is a complete scam. We need to return to the vision which FDR had for a U.S. economy based on fair trade partnerships, balanced production and services of self-sufficiency, re-establish the constitutional right of congress to control the U.S. money and credit system, end wars which do nothing but destroy modern economies and provide for the needs of our citizens and residents in this country. END CORPORATE WELFARE AND FASCIST POWER!

[dansolo]

64. Haven't you heard the spin

I have seen a large number of stories in the past few weeks about how consumers are opting for gift cards instead of gifts. That is how they will downplay the low sales figures, since gift cards don't count until they are used for purchases.

[Lorien]

60. I'm fairly close to the Fashion Square mall in Orlando

There hasn't been much traffic there either. Even the Target next door hasn't been much busier than usual.

[K8-EEE]

3. Same here in L.A. (The Grove)

I had lunch in the upscale Grove shopping center midtown today and I was totally shocked how easy it was to park! I picked up some things at Barnes & Noble with only a 5 minute line -- Body Works store had serious holiday markdowns and no line at all.

I really am starting to hate this gift-giving tradition my family has. They all are not filthy rich but affluent enough to get stuff when they want it. I mainly get them books and CDs but I would rather give the money to homeless people who would appreciate it more. I gave $5 to a homeless guy today & spent $60 at Barnes & Noble, wish it was reversed!

[Raine]

57. I HATE the Grove

they had a nice center there with the Farmers Market and they tore down the Dell to put that thing in. :mad: I used to love the little shops in the Dell than hanging out having coffee at the Coffee Corner in the Farmers Market. I never go there anymore the whole thing makes me sick cause of what they have done to it. :cry:

[SharonAnn]

66. Give them a card saying you donated to a charity in their name.

[RoyGBiv]

4. Had a similar experience ...

I've been planning on getting my mother a scanner for a long time so she can scan her old photos, but I just hadn't, and I eventually decided to do so as a Christmas present. So today I went to the computer store I use locally, which is not a big-box retailer but still pretty busy during the holiday season, and I fully expected to experience two things: no parking space because the shop is sandwiched in-between a Best Buy and a Home Depot and a wait for someone to help me. I experienced neither. Traffic was bad getting there, but I pulled into an open spot immediately and saw another spot two spaces down from me also open. In the store, which usually has at least a couple customers during the off-season, was no one. Not a single person other than me was in there. The proprietor of the store almost jumped on me when I walked in and told me as I was paying him that he'd not had the season he'd hoped to have but couldn't blame it on Best Buy this year because, according to his understanding, neither had they.

[hamerfan]

5. In Kansas City,

The one mall I drove by today was packed. No doubt people running up that credit card debt a bit more. On a brighter note, the local Home Depot parking lot was empty.
dumpbush

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Well folks lets see how they put some lipstick on this pig

Wanna bet that it is going to be, those damn Dems?

dime om the depresed dollar that is going to be the song and dance.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. Friday 5pm the mall parking lot should have been jammed...

but I saw several empty parking spaces. The traffic was still terrible. :(

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. I Still Have No Idea What Malls Some Of You Go To. ANY Mall I've Been To Has Been A Zoo, As Always.

And if you have seen decreased foot traffic, it's probably far more likely to be caused from online shopping than a recession. Though we know we may be getting financially squeezed, I still barely know almost anyone that isn't getting gifts for people that they normally would. But like I said, by me any mall or major store that I've been to has still been a zoo, so I'm not sure this problem really exists to begin with.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. I will be very specific,

Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego California...

Oh and Mission Valley has also been somewhat empty, as I said, I live but five mintues from either of them

[Warpy]

10. I heard from someone at the food co-op today

that the mall in town was busy. That's the first time since Black Friday I've heard that.

However, he said "busy," not the usual "crazy."

I'd say a lot of people are feeling the pinch of falling house prices.

This is in central NM. Online shopping is NOT making that big a difference here.

[mitchtv]

15. Westfield Shopping Village- Palm Desert

yesterday- pretty quiet- I found parking right up front

[ebayfool]

14. From what I've seen, depends on what part of town.

Today I had errands to do.
East side (poorer side of town - not a whole lotta people in the centers, including Big Lots & Walmart ... in that part of town that speaks volumes!)

West side (way higher income area - lotsa cars, not that hard to find parking, shoppers in the mall & stores but NOT as many as they usually have. What shoppers were in them seemed really aggressive, though - they drove those shopping carts like they were big ol' Hummers ... willing to mow down anyone, including kids, that got between them & the on-sale object of their hearts desire!)

The poor folk are hurting, & the more well off, I suspect, are feeling the wind & getting a wee bit tense.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

21. In My Neck Of The Woods The Area/Class Hasn't Mattered.

But maybe things are different elsewhere.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. That is what I am trying to determine

if we know whether this is localized or more generalized we can make an informed decision on how well the economy is doing... that said, it may be in trouble... why? well the macro data is not good. You start to see signs of it sooner or later on the ground... and where I live is middle class to upper class

[FlaGranny]

31. Same here. It has been crazy with traffic

and shoppers for a couple of weeks around here. I hate to go out the traffic has been so bad. All the lots are full with lines of cars waiting for parking spots.

[Clark2008]

39. Same here. I don't go by ANY mall this time of year, but I

can see both of the malls in my town from the interstates that run by them and they've both looked as packed as sardines anytime I'm traveling the expressway by them.

Hell, it takes 30 minutes just to get a couple of items from the Walgreens and Kroger's just because you're having to fight traffic on the outside and people on the inside. The Dollar Store wasn't busy yesterday, but the shelves in the underwear department were void (I get all my cleaning products and my son's socks and undies at dollar stores since he outgrows them so fast I don't feel like spending a fortune at a big box store on them).

Maybe it depends on the part of the country one is in. :shrug:

[Midlodemocrat]

59. Malls here have been nuts as well.

It took me 30 minutes to find a parking space at our nice outdoor, California style mall on Friday.

People were buying, too, if the packages in their arms were any indication.

[nevergiveup]

11. I own a retail (non-mall) gift store

(32 yrs now) and sales were OK. Thanksgiving was early this year and the season got dragged out some. Things have slowed some but I don't think we are in recession mode yet. I hope not as there are 3 families and myself dependent on my store's survival. Being a Ma and Pa retailer these days is getting tougher and tougher.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Trust me I wish we were not there

and that you can weather whatever is coming, but macro data is pointing to one.

I am glad you did ok by the way, I am a sucker for the litle guy, given that I am building my bizz as well

[TomInTib]

13. We are OK, too

We have two stores in San Francisco and one in Tiburon (higher-end ladies apparel and accessories).

But just OK.

[Lisa]

20. I just bought a bunch of stuff for the homeless shelter, at the small pharmacy

... down the street from my place. I had thought about going to Wal-Mart or such (which is probably what the shelter staff would have done if I'd given them the cash outright, since they have to think about supplying toothbrushes etc. to as many people as possible). But then I decided that the smaller retailers really need the business, and besides this store won't get much of the Christmas shopping trade (not many people buy each other suppositories or mouthwash as gifts!).

"Ma and Pa" (the pharmacist and his wife) were sitting there watching shoppers walk past the door, and they were really glad to see me!

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. good for you

[bobbolink]

30. I was hoping for suppositories in the stocking...

Well, it beats the lump of coal, yeah?

~~chortle~~

Thank you so much for thinking of all the shelter people, and the small businesses! :applause:

[Lisa]

47. I hope that's what Bush finds in his!

Because I suspect that he would probably misinterpret the traditional lump of coal and think Santa wants him to drop the emission caps on thermal generating plants. And he's been so surly and ill-tempered lately that I am starting to suspect that the "Preparation H" isn't working.

[Clark2008]

40. I ALWAYS choose the Mom and Pop's to the big box stores

if money isn't tight. Heck, I haven't been to a Wal-Mart in a gazillion years (I usually opt for Target if I have a gift card or need a break on the price).

I think the quality of the product is better, lasts longer for your money (I hate to shop, so I don't want to have to go back in six months to replace something) and gives back to my community.

I'd rather pay more for quality and convenience (there are no big box stores in my immediate neighborhood) than drive to Timbuktu and buy some cheap Chinese product made by people slaving to make 7 cents an item that I'll just have to replace in six months.

[bluedeminredstate]

16. I stopped in the mall last night

and the big department store I was shopping in was EMPTY. I couldn't believe on a Friday night before Christmas the store was dead. I remarked on it to the saleswoman and she said it had been like that all evening.
This was in an affluent part of Richmond, Virginia and I didn't feel like stopping, but I was driving by that part of town and had to pick up something for hubby so I figured I'd just go ahead and get it done. Also, I noticed the stacks of gift boxes that usually the stores are out of by this time of the season... The whole thing was odd, but in a creepy way. I fear for what's coming.

:hide:

[williesgirl]

17. Northern VA is a gridlock - has been for 10 days. You can't move regardless

of the time of day or day of the week.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Isn't that close to the Beltway anyway?

just wondering

[FooFootheSnoo]

18. I stopped by a Walmart last weekend

It was pretty quiet. Good parking, no one in line(which is very unusual for a weekend, it's usually 20 minutes in line). I remarked to the cashier about it and she said it had been that way all week. She suspected more people were going to the malls. I was in the mall on Thursday and it was pretty busy for 2pm on a Thursday afternoon. Both times I have been in Target, it's been crazy.

[Bobbieo]

23. Same with my Wal--Mart - shoppers are going to the big mall.

[Tinksrival]

25. It does seem off to me too. Has me worried a bit, I must admit.

I am a vendor and have accounts at several retailers, Target, K-mart, Home Depot, so I've been in the stores a lot . I live in the western Chicago burbs, Naperville area. Traffic is definitely not as heavy as years past. But what really shocked me was just how much merchandise is still on the shelves. I returned a scarf at Penny's today and there was mountains of merchandise everywhere. I had no wait at all.
The same for Kohl's on Friday. I went in to pay my bill. I'm cheap and save on stamps cause I'm working in the area anyway. Well I was kicking myself for not just mailing it cause I figured I would end up in a long line. Well I opened the door to two registers open and no costumers waiting. It was 3:00 pm and the employee agreed that it was "weird". That Kohl's is usually always busy and there is just so much merchandise!
I worked at a Home Depot today and it was dead. Even more than usual for a Saturday. That didn't surprise me too much but the drive home at 4:45 pm did. Traffic didn't seem much different than any other time. The grocery store was the only place that seemed packed.

Happy Holidays to you too! :hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. thanks for your notes

[DarkTirade]

26. Maybe the malls aren't too busy..

but with online shopping, I know I was sure as hell busy this week... :) I sort packages at a UPS warehouse.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. hubby got a temp job at the USPS

sorting packages and they have been busy, but he was told it was lighter this year

Just trying to form a picture, as full as we can, of the reality on the ground

[DarkTirade]

32. Mine was too, but that's because

we've diverted a lot of our flow over the last couple of years up to the hub in Jacksonville. I still got a good deal of overtime though, and I wasn't even trying to come in early or stay late or work a double shift.

[HughMoran]

29. Took a half hour to take a left off the highway onto mall road

Record sales have been predicted - it sure seemed that way to me based on three different mall areas I had to navigate.

[OneBlueSky]

33. a lot of it has to do with the geometric growth in online shopping . . .

people (like me, for instance) who don't want to even attempt mall madness sit comfortably at their computers, place their orders, and wait for thier items to be delivered to their door . . . often at great prices, often without state and local taxes added on, and often free of delivery charges . . . can't beat it, imo . . .

[dweller]

34. 'and the *moron spoke: Go shopping'

and the masses having been fooled before, would not be fooled again?

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again..." *

happy solstice.
dp

[gollygee]

36. The malls here have been pretty busy

but nothing like last year or the year before.

Still, it was a bit hard to find a good parking spot the other day. I did find a pretty good one - not way in the back. But in past years I haven't even had a chance of finding any parking spot at all unless I drove around waiting for someone to pull out around this time.

[lynne]

37. I couldn't even get off the interstate -

- to go to my parents yesterday as the mall traffic was so backed up. I had to call her to let her know I'd be late for dinner and I left my house EARLY in anticipation of heavy shopping traffic. It was worse than I thought.

I'm thinking all the shoppers who weren't at the OP's mall came to my parents town!

[phylny]

38. My daughter works for a big box store in the local mall, and reported that

the mall was mobbed. It took her a half hour to get OUT of the mall for lunch, and 45 minutes to get out after her shift was done.

[NNN0LHI]

41. The only stores I have been in that were busy lately were grocery stores n/t

[Pale Blue Dot]

42. I manage a retail store for a large chain.

My store has done well this year, but the company as a whole is obviously worried. Not panicked, but worried.

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. So we have a mixed bag

lets see what the 4Q reports but I have a feeling that it won't be that good either

[caledesi]

44. Malls are SO last century. LOL! Order online.

Seriously, I would like to know how many people have ordered online. Especially, with the free shipping at Xmas.

[LibraLiz1973]

45. LoL. Well, I ordered online

For almost everything. I never had to set foot in a mall!!
yay

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. LOL the mall I am talking to is on my way to

Ralphs, no way to avoid it....

I did not say I went into it now did I?

But we can gauge how things seem to be just by driving by it.

Hell if I needed to go to it... there is a trolley with a stop THERE.

;-)

I sent the few gifts I needed to send right after thanksgiving... mostly cookies, so there!

[caledesi]

50. NB....just joking about malls. Although I am interested in just

how many people ordered online. I am disabled, so I really don't have a choice. Thank God for the Web.

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. My husband works for the post office

and packages were lighter than in previous years, which means, even online was light

[high density]

48. I live near the Maine Mall

It has been madness there all month. Even weekdays are just total mob city.

[bedazzled]

49. mall today in west palm beach was mobbed -- first time

the mall parking lot has been really empty here - except for today.

the supermarkets have also been reasonable - except for today

i have been shipping a lot of my ebay sales, and can say that there
has been a lot of shipping activity this year -- even longer lines
than usual at the post office, and many ebay sellers congregating.

i think a lot of folks did their shopping online. i know i did.
didn't set foot in a mall...

[BluePatriot]

51. Seemed busy enough around here...

...but I sense it's all propped up on credit. My 24-yo coworker has 27 lines of credit. How?!?!?

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. College

When I was a young buck over 20 years ago I had six in less than three months, it was That easy.

Funmy, these days we have two and we use only one

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. Update

I went to the mall on the 24th. My niece came from Mexico and wanted a PSP... so we drove to TWO malls looking for it, and it was easy to park as in emtpy... though we came empty on the PSP front

[Missy Vixen]

55. Malls are full of windowshoppers. The insanity's at the discount chains.

DH and I went to Bellevue Square (Bellevue, WA, upscale suburb of Seattle,) Friday night for two last-minute gifts. It took us 20 minutes to park and less than 10 minutes to get inside, go to the store we were shopping at, and pick up the item in question. The biggest line inside the mall was at one of the restaurants; there were already discounts on display at Macy's. On the way home, the parking lots of the local Fred Meyer (discount department store,) and Target were jammed beyond belief. In other words, those who have any cash at all are shopping carefully instead of blowing the wad at the mall.

I would LOVE to know what the retail numbers are in Western Washington right now. We know several families that spent the bulk of this year's Christmas money on a generator, due to the fact power wasn't restored throughout most of the Eastside for almost a week after the December 14th windstorm. Our Christmas money was spent early in December on emergency surgery for our cat. I'm glad he's fine, but we'll be paying that bill for awhile.

Julie

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Hope the kittie does not need any more

emergency care...

I know the feeling, we had to take one of the conures to the vet on an emergency basis... he's fine, but changing the diet of a bird can be traumatic to all involved, chiefly the bird.

(Add some lightness to this... will be able to update as I need to go get some food for tonight later in the day... so will have to drive by mall)

[MazeRat7]

58. Reports from monitoring analysts suggest the retails have meet their targets this season..

What remains to be seen is "if" they will exceed those targets during the post-xmas shopping spree and via redemption of gift cards though late Jan.

MZr7

[tammywammy]

61. I drive by a Walmart & a mall on the way to work

Well, I went out of my way to stop by Chickfila, so I drove by an outdoor shopping strip. The parking was packed.

Walmart's lot was full. The Best Buy was packed. The mall parking lot was packed.

Nothing was different this year from last. I did all of my shoppign online, so I personally was lucky to not have to actually step inside a mall.

[Mad_Dem_X]

62. Same here in DE

I was stunned at how *dead* the stores all were today.

[nadinbrzezinski]

63. Update as promised

the local malls actually showed signs of life today... I HAD to go there to get a new pair of headphones for my hubby

Well the Best Buy, I drove by it. The mall, was full. I got it at an Office Depot, that parking lot wiht a sears was pretty empty though and I was in and out in five mimutes

My guess we will see a mixed bag

[Blue Belle]

65. I was actually dreading going to Macy's today...

I put off buying something to wear to my parent's 50th wedding anniversary party, and today was the only day I had a chance to do it before the weekend (the party is on Saturday). I was really surprised over how many people were NOT in the store or in the mall as a whole. It felt more like a Labor Day Sale than the Day After Christmas. And I have to say that when I went Christmas shopping on the 23rd, the stores were about as busy.

[AZBlue]

67. Charitable donations are down 40-70%!!

I was shopping a lot last week, this past weekend and today (well, window shopping really - not much buying going on from me) and it's been dead - and those who are shopping aren't carrying lots of packages. When even deep holiday sales don't work and charities can't meet their quotas, something's very wrong.

[Infinite Hope]

68. In Raleigh and Winston-Salem (across N.C.) stores and malls were NUTS.

Very very busy - busier than I've seen in the last couple years.