Remember when a trip to the mall could fill an entire afternoon, even if you didn’t need to buy anything? You could meet friends by the fountain, browse music stores, try on clothes, grab a slice of pizza, and head home feeling like you’d had a full day out.
Malls are still around, but many shops and familiar features that made them popular hangouts have disappeared from many shopping centers. Here are 14 things that may remind you of the mall you visited growing up.
Pay Phones
Before cell phones became part of everyday life, mall pay phones were where you called home for a ride or let someone know you’d be late. They were often lined up near entrances and food courts, with shoppers waiting their turn to make a quick call.
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Indoor Smoking Areas
Some shopping malls once had designated indoor smoking areas where people could sit on benches and take a break. As smoking restrictions changed, these spaces gradually disappeared, and became rare in modern malls.
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Mall Arcades
Mall arcades drew crowds with flashing screens, noisy games, and the familiar clatter of quarters dropping into machines. Friends could spend hours competing for high scores or watching someone play the latest racing, fighting, or sports game.
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Photo Booths
Photo booths gave friends an inexpensive way to take home a little souvenir from their mall trip. Those tiny photo strips often ended up inside lockers, tucked into wallets, or taped to bedroom mirrors.
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Music and Movie Stores
Stores like Sam Goody and Tower Records let shoppers browse albums, read the back of CD cases, and discover music before streaming became common. Some malls also had video rental stores where families could pick a movie for the weekend before heading home.
Sbarro Pizza Counters
For plenty of mall visitors, lunch meant grabbing a large slice of Sbarro pizza and finding a seat in the food court. The chain still has locations, but its counter is no longer a familiar stop at every shopping center.
RadioShack
RadioShack was a go-to stop for batteries, cables, small electronic parts, and gadgets that caught your eye while you were browsing. Its shelves offered all sorts of little tech items, making it easy to spend more time there than you’d planned.
Teen Fashion Stores
Delia’s, Wet Seal, 5-7-9, and Rave were popular stops for teens looking for trendy tops, jeans, dresses, and accessories. Friends could spend ages trying on outfits and comparing styles, even if nobody had planned to buy anything.
Workwear and Everyday Fashion Stores
The Limited and Casual Corner were familiar places to shop for office clothes, while Structure sold men’s shirts, sweaters, and casual basics. These stores made it easy to put together a work wardrobe or find everyday clothes without leaving the mall.
Colorful Clothing Stores
Esprit and Benetton brought bright colors and distinctive styles to malls during the 1980s and 1990s. Their sweaters, shirts, and casual clothing had a recognizable look that longtime shoppers may still remember.
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Limited Too
For many young shoppers, Limited Too was a must-visit stop for colorful outfits and playful accessories. Its bright displays and fun clothing made shopping for school or everyday wear feel like an outing.
Indoor Fountains
Large indoor fountains were common meeting spots where shoppers could sit for a while, wait for friends, or toss in a coin and make a wish. Many malls have redesigned their shared spaces since then, leaving fewer of those grand water features around.
Mall Bookstores
Waldenbooks and B. Dalton let readers browse new releases, flip through magazines, and discover books they hadn’t planned to buy. You could easily spend half an hour wandering the shelves, even if you left without buying anything.
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Mall Travel Agencies
Before booking trips online became routine, some shopping malls had travel agencies filled with vacation brochures and posters of sunny destinations. Shoppers could sit down with an agent to discuss flights, hotels, and holiday packages while friends or family continued exploring the mall.
