I haven’t set foot inside of a mall in at least 5 years. Nothing could entice me to break that record.

I avoid the malls at all costs and shop for most of my clothes at thrift stores. Everything else I buy from independently ownly, not chain businesses or companies that have a community attitude. When I need a gift, I call on my artist friends or make something myself. They aren’t called a mall for nothing.

The gift with purchase (GWP) is a gimmick to get you to spend another $10/20/100 (ever notice the minimum purchase is just a little more than the most common product price point) because you think you are getting something “free”??

Therefore the GWP, nor any other incentive, could influence me to shop at a mall or big box store. In fact, I do not shop at these stores at all unless absolutely necessary to get a product unavailble at a locally owned store. The reason is the for every $1 spent at a chain or franchize business, only 17 cents stays in the local economy. The same dollar spent at a locally-owned business keeps 75% (75 cents) in the local community.

What is most horrifying is that this woman actually thinks it is patriotic to overconsume at multi-national retailers in shopping centers owned by non-local developers. She is even so clueless about her actions, she repeats the soundbite. It is ripe for an SNL skit: Midle aged, overweight, suburban woman in dowdy clothing with frumpy handbag spends $1000 at generic mall to get free $7 deep fried appetizers at chain restaraunt and prove she is a “Patriotic American”. It would be funny if it weren’t true.

I’d reccommend she see the docu-comedy coming out later this year by Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me) called What Would Jeasus Buy. And, if she is going to shop, she might check out BUILD St. Louis (www.buildstlouis.com) and start actually helping the local economy by shopping local.

Put a couple Tattoo parlors in every mall.

You’d have more of these young morons flocking in

than you could handle….

On a serious note…..I’d like to see more armed mall cops.

Nude fashion models for store clerks wouldn’t entice me to shop at a mall. If you see me in a shopping mall, it’s because there’s a hail storm outside.

I agree as well that I only go somewhere when I need something, and probably would not spend $1000+ in specialty stores (and of course there’s the catch for big ticket items). Especially the way gas prices are now along with the state of the economy I can’t afford to waste time or money on overpriced things. (Promotions can sometimes be skimpy anyway and not worth it.) I also think that because of gas and the low dollar people are being much more conservative with their money. Rarely do I feel like I need to buy new, and just notice how much more popular places like Goodwill are now.

Pat Carpenter needs an over haul on his attitude.It’s now nice to be mean and if you get too mean we can ask the moderator to take your comment off….ask Dale Singer!!

I mean NOT nice to be mean

“It is ripe for an SNL skit: Midle aged, overweight, suburban woman in dowdy clothing with frumpy handbag spends $1000 at generic mall to get free $7 deep fried appetizers at chain restaraunt and prove she is a “Patriotic American”.”

WOW…. what a classy statement by Lori Allen. We can’t make an intelligent comment, so we’ll just attack someone on their appearance. Nice. What a wonderful attitude to hand down to our children. It’s people like that who make me love my dog.