There is a large mostly abandoned shopping center near where I live.

[Warpy]

30. I have to disagree

because Sears & Roebuck, the in home, convenience shopping experience of its day witho only slightly longer delivery times and you could even order a whole kit house from them, didn't kill off the shopping district in small towns across the country. It took the Great Depression for that and it was only temporary, business starting to reopen as the New Deal took effect.

The dead mall near me was an older and smaller mall that always stayed fully occupied and had a better food court than the bigger malls until three of foor department stores disappeared, one to merger and the other two to bankruptcy. That meant less foot traffic and smaller stores started to go under. As occupancy rates fell, a cascade seemed to happen and all the others fled.

I've noticed the same thing happening at the bigger malls, nearly full occupancy of small retail spaces not compensating for the loss of even one of several anchor stores.