Umbrellas in a Sunny, Dying Mall

Sunbrellas with no one to shelter . . . this is a shot from a dying mall that is under new ownership and new management.

There is a real drive to make this mall work again, but its construction is one of the things working against it. It is open to the sky in the center, which is not the best in an area prone to 90-100F temperatures off and on year round.  Hard surfaces reflecting the heat don’t help, either.  It is a very nice place to shop – and horribly uncomfortable at high noon.

In order to generate revenue, small businesses are moving in because of reasonable rents that once were so high that only large chain stores could afford them.  It is here that I take my film to be processed, that my husband goes to buy grain and beer-making supplies.  I hope that more businesses (obviously, there are more than two) move in, as it is a very pleasant place to shop when it is in the 70s.

And even more, I hope they create more covered spaces to get away from the heat – sweltering heat is unpleasant, for humans and business alike.