Walked through Franklin Mills in Philly last weekend and the difference between the old wing and the new wing was wild

The old wing still has that 90s tile and those weird fountains that haven't worked in years. Dark carpet, flickering lights, you can smell the damp. The new wing they built in 2005 is all polished concrete and LED strips. But here's the thing - the old wing still had like 5 stores open. The new wing was totally empty except for a mattress store. Makes me wonder if putting lipstick on a pig really helps or if malls just die regardless of how nice they look. Has anyone else noticed the newer parts of dying malls empty out faster than the old crusty sections?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenixking3d ago

Bro do you think it's because the new shiny stuff costs more to rent, so those stores bailed faster when foot traffic dropped? Or is it something else about the vibe of a place that's trying too hard?

dylan_anderson3d ago

bro the old wing sounds exactly like the mall near me, i swear those crusty 90s tiles have magical powers that keep stores open longer than anything fancy. i guess we're just drawn to places that match our own level of falling apart haha