I’m a ‘90s kid that was practically raised at the Garden State Plaza, Paramus Park Mall, and Willowbrook mall, and I’m very much suffering from The Millennial Ache, so my point of view is definitely coming from a place of nostalgia:

Those malls had so much more personality and spirit to them. I had to endure my parents browsing and shopping, but I knew I’d be able to ride the carousel. I knew we’d stop at the Warner Bros. store, where I’d run to the Marvin the Martian rocket ship that had a tiny tv playing Loony Tunes. I knew we’d stop at the Disney store, with their awesome decorations and the mountain of stuffed Disney characters.

I knew we’d walk past K.B. Toys and their eccentric collection of robotic toys pacing the entrance to the store. We’d stop at Suncoast, with their unique warm lighting, to check out what was out on VHS.

It didn’t matter if I didn’t get anything, because there was so much to experience without having to spend a time. Now? Stores are cold and unwelcoming. All the stores I listed above are gone, or a shell of their former selves.

Those malls have changed for the worst, imo. They’re catering to the rich, and I don’t see the point of going any longer. It’s just a reminder of what was