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Most American malls are so badly designed -- they aren't places where people are hanging out but just shopping and leaving. Well, most folks shop online nowadays, what's the point of coming to the mall? There's no place to sit or talk or create a community.

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When I was a kid in the US, the mall was the #1 place to hang out. We could see a movie, grab some food, and browse some clothing stores, and our parents knew where to find us.

I suppose this is less of an advantage with cell phones these days, and teenagers don't really have much disposable income.

How long ago? Malls have spent the last two decades discouraging or even outright banning teenage loiterers.

Yeah, they have. But I still see kids hanging out at malls in my area, although well behaved and in not in gigantic groups.

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