Van life is turning me into a mall rat

[caseyc]

I feel like a teenager hanging out at the mall. Well, not quite. When I used to live in an apartment and had down time, I would lounge on the sofa for hours watching TV and vegetating. Now that I don't have a "home" to lounge, I find myself hanging out in various malls.

Malls have everything I need such as food, coffee shops, the gym, free parking, restrooms, reading magazines at Barnes & Noble, people watching cute girls. I can even find AC outlets for power if I need it. I don't know if this is a good thing or bad, but this is what has become of me now. Hmmm.

I'm currently at a Barnes & Noble writing this!

 

[LeeRevell]

It's neither good nor bad - you have simply adapted to a way of life that you find the most convenient. If it allows you enjoyment and the services you need, go for it! I personally have not been in a Mall in some thirty years, same with a movie theatre. BUT..... were I full timing it, that would likely change. At least in a city.

 

[caseyc]

As much as I like being at a traditional campsite, it gets boring for me after a short time. A shopping mall is pretty much a miniature self contained city with nearly all the conveniences I need. Plus I like being where others are. Not always, but usually.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

They still have malls?

 

[ccbreder]

Malls are a great place to exercise by walking during bad weather.

 

[riffraff]

I spent a good part of the day at the mall yesterday. Was just happy to find a place with a.c., free parking and WiFi. Watched the white Sox / tigers game on my kindle which was a treat. Then I was bad and had a $13 lunch at smash burger.. which was awesome but money is a bit low for that. Wasn't able to find a power outlet like at the library or Starbucks... but had enough juice to watch the whole game. Went to the library afterwards to get recharged.

Definitely nice to have some places to chill out for a bit that aren't costing $.

 

[caseyc]

When I was a kid, I would spend all my lunch money playing arcade games at the mall. I miss arcades sometimes. Makes me feel like 14 again.

 

[LeeRevell]

Hehehe..... I worked as an arcade assistant manager once - I haven't set foot in one since.

I notice when I go to Burger King inside, sometimes folks will plug their cell phones into the big screen TV's USB jack to charge it, and use the free WIFI. The people working there don't seem to care.

 

[pseudo_mccoy]

I try to size a mall up by putting them into groups. The old, dying ones have more places to lounge, but are filled with loud kids, young couples, and new families. As a single guy in his late 20's, I feel out of place in those places. Some of the newer ones have more single people in my age group but are too fancy for me to blend in.

Every now and then I'll find mall that falls somewhere between the above two types. One of the malls here in Vancouver, WA has a library inside it, which is a nice place to rest and recharge.

Caseyc, I hear you about the arcades. I was growing up just as they were shutting down so it feels like I missed a lot of the good ones. If you're ever in Ann Arbor, there's this place called Pinball Pete's that has been around for thirty years and has this amazing retro vibe. Never seen an arcade like it. I hope they stay open another three decades.

 

[riffraff]

There's a huge arcade in the Chicago area called Galloping Ghost Arcade. Cedar point still has a decent sized arcade. There's Funspot if on the east coast. Last one I was at was a out a month ago called High Scores arcade in Alameda, CA (near Oakland). They exist but you really have to look hard for them.

Security gave me a couple looks while I sat for hours watching my baseball game at the mall but other than that it was pretty chill.

 

[Dandelion]

Thank you for giving me this great insight, caseyc! Now I will look at shopping malls with a new interest

 

[caseyc]

Dandelion,

You're welcome! I have plenty of trivial insights to give, haha! You too can be a mall rat, all are welcome!

Casey

Thank you for giving me this great insight, caseyc! Now I will look at shopping malls with a new interest

---

It is the weekend. Guess where I am? At a different mall. Hah! I rotate malls more than my underwear. Juuuust kidding! Need to go to REI for an exchange, then to The Container Store for new laundry bags. Getting caffeinated at Starbucks currently.

 

[compassrose]

Spending time at a mall can easily turn into spending money at a mall. I haven't been in a mall in a long time. Last time we were looking for something specific (forget what it was) and couldn't find it. Got it off the internet though. Too noisy for me. But I also live in a 40 ft bus that we converted with the idea of spending long periods of time inside due to bad weather. It was a siytuation we felt needed to be addressed. We used to livein an area where it would start in raining around the end of Sept. Around Halloween, it would be to the point where it would rain to some degree (heavy mist to full blown thunder storm) almost daily until it turns to snow.

 

[wagoneer]

Just spent a few hours in a mall, victoria secret always 21 and crystal shop blah blah blah will not pull the wallet out I did get a bowl of really good soup with a big piece of bread for 5 bucks.

 

[caseyc]

Got that right about shopping temptations at the malls. I'm currently parked next to Macy's waiting for the store to open to make an exchange for something bought yesterday. What else does a van dweller do on an early Sunday morning?? ;-)

 

[BigT]

Malls are a great place to exercise by walking during bad weather.

Yup.  I used to do exactly this when on my lunch break and the weather was too cold/rainy/crummy to be outside.  

Personally I hate malls with a burning passion (too crowded, expensive and commerical), but I found them to be perfect for walks.  They also tended to be almost completely empty during the times I was there.  

 

[eDJ_]

Late coming to the thread I know.  But some years back when I was visiting relatives in the Boston Mass area
I was shown how the Malls were developing Apartment complexes around them.  They must of known what the
OP is talking about and decided that getting into the apartment complex business would create a built in clientele.

Whenever it got boring in the apartment,  just walk across the parking lot to the Mall.

 

[gojo]

When I go to Barton Creek or Highland Mall in Austin, the first place I'll go around noon is the Food Court. By the time I walk the whole court I'm full of eating the free samples they serve.

 

[ZoNiE]

Grazing (Free food samples) can be done at Any Costco on weekends. I avoid costco on weekends.

$1.50 for a hotdog and a coke is not bad, though.

Cheap food in Casino's? not around here (Phoenix). I go to the Cigar Bar with my friends from time to time.

 

[LeeRevell]

I haven't been inside a Mall in about thirty years, but when I worked in one, it seemed the worse the weather got, the more folks would flock to the Mall! I was Asst. Manager of a game arcade, and had to deal with irate customers when the power went off due to the storm, and they lost their game...... sheesh. No wonder I hate Malls.
But, on Sunday night when we closed to do our weekly accounting, we'd let the Pizza shop guys in to play for free while we munched on free pizza. Gotta love the bennies!