Ghosts Of Shopping Past - Interesting Dead Mall Photo Essay

[hatrack]

Why closed-down stores?

The idea went back to 2005 when I drove weekly past a large closed supermarket on the North Side of Chicago. At night the space really transformed from one of neglect and misuse to something incredibly visual that described a Rothko-esque painting space divided in three parts (parking lot, building, and sky). I spent a few nights making some photographs to try and replicate what I saw. I had been working on a larger project dealing with American consumerism, and it was no surprise to me that these spaces would fail and dwindle as fast they arise. I was in the midst of a deeper project, photographing in thrift stores and recycling shops as part of my “Copia” series, so I shelved the idea.

At the end of 2007 with many rumblings of recession, I thought of those pictures and began the project in earnest in May of 2008. In many senses it was a vindication of what I had been talking about in my earlier work. How can an economy sustain a lifestyle based on exponential growth and the leisure and wealth to support it? It’s not rocket science to expect these kind of illusions to fail. What’s strange is how ingrained the brands and spaces are to us that so many were not only surprised to see major retailers and malls sink but were saddened. Many of these ideas were set in motion decades ago.

Where in America are these empty stores?

Everywhere! What’s nice about photography is it can transform your perception of your experiences. By making these photographs it puts the spotlight of the massive amount of space not only dedicated to retail across the country, but the massive amount of neglect by those spaces.

It is important for me to travel across the country to emphasize this. The pictures are titled by the former brand that occupied the location so one would never know if the scene was Ohio, Nevada, or New Jersey without some research, but that’s not the point. The point is to create a sense that you are looking at the dead mall or empty Circuit City from your neighborhood. The traveling for me comes out of a obsession with not only cataloging so much of the issue but also making many subtle connections to landscape to be clear that we’re looking at the whole country.


EDIT

http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/galleries/ghosts_of_shopping_past/

[An_Opened_Hand]

1. Some Beautiful photos,

in a sad haunting sort of way. I'm seeing more and more of these types of abandoned all over the place. Don't think we are going to see much in the way of new tenets filling any of these places.

[wtmusic]

2. Known as "distressed" centers in the business

I worked with a marketing company that was coming up with promotions for these places. No customers, no money, no merchandise, no tenants. Worse: no buyers for the real estate.

Big-time overbuilding in the 80s-90s is a lot to blame ("you mean this boom won't last forever?").

[tinrobot]

3. Everything is disposable...

Including the places that sell the disposables.

[truedelphi]

4. K & R and thank you. n/t

[girl gone mad]

5. There's one mall in Chicago, right on Michigan Ave. that's virtually empty..

it may have actually been shut down since I was there last. It's a nice space in a good location. It could be put to many better uses.

There's a mall in the N. Dallas suburbs that was close to dying. It's very upscale and a lot of the chain businesses and anchor dept. stores were closing. The mall decided to let mom & pop and alternative businesses move in and they've managed to hang on. I think that's a cool idea and I'd like to see it implemented elsewhere. Imagine a good used book shop or an independent bakery next to your Abercrombie & Fitch. The mall also hosts traveling museum exhibits. Maybe the need for malls has come and gone, but if they are going to survive at all, I think they'll have to adapt to offer a better experience for the community.

[madrchsod]

6. dixie sq mall was where the blues brothers car chase scene was filmed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Square_Mall

[OnlinePoker]

7. Outside of the Richland Mall...

...looks like a church. A cathedral to the failed religion of consumerism.

[intheflow]

8. Such a sad commentary on American values.

I love the idea that the commentary provided, that these bohemoths should go the way of the dinosaur, be razed and left to return to nature.

[we can do it]

9. Used To Work In Rolling Acres Mall

just outside the photo on the left side - it is so sad around there.

[Terry in Austin]

10. Dead malls

A new hobby for some: www.deadmalls.com

[Xithras]

11. Deadmalls.com has been doing this for a decade.

Photos and stories about dead malls from across the country.