Summary
In this podcast episode, Chuck Bryant recommends listeners to tune in to the live episode "How Malls Work," where the hosts discuss the history of malls, starting with Trajan's Market in ancient Rome, and the evolution of shopping centers. The hosts also talk about the creation of the first shopping mall, Southdale Mall, in 1956 by Victor Gruen, and its significant cultural role in defining American society during its golden age from 1956 to 2005. The conversation revolves around the nostalgia of malls, discussing popular stores, famous movie scenes, and mall walkers. The speakers also mention the decline of malls in popularity due to the Great Recession and the rise of online shopping, and how accelerated depreciation tax laws led to the construction of thousands of malls that were not necessarily built to meet consumer demand. However, some malls, such as outlet malls and high-end malls, are still thriving, and the decline of malls may represent a shift towards a new way of building communities.
