Amusement Park at the Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis - St. Paul

Reporters make a pilgramige to the mother of all malls — MOA in Bloomington, Minnesota — to ask shoppers if our 50-year-old relationship with malls is on the rocks.  The Times reporters talked to retail tenants, who aren’t buying mall management’s claim that 2008 sales were up two percent over the prior year.  They report significant sales declines and point to discount signage throughout the mall’s four concourses.  Is it possible that the concept of shopping-as-entertainment is really on the decline?  For more on troubles afflicting malls, you might want to check out DeadMalls.com.  The New York Times Jan. 31, 2009