Just realized I miss the old mall security guard who'd wave at us kids.

Walking through the empty halls now, I can almost hear his friendly 'hello' bouncing off the closed storefronts.

3 comments

3 Comments

Spot on about the bulletin boards. That was the whole vibe. You'd see a flyer for a punk show in a church basement or a guy teaching banjo lessons. Now it's just a QR code to the same corporate website. @cameron371, does that make you avoid new cafes entirely? I'll drive ten minutes longer just to go to the place that still has a community board and a cashier who remembers my order.

sandra2031mo ago

Wasn't that the last bit of personality those places had left? Now you just get a glare from some guy in a polo shirt staring at a monitor. Really makes you feel the warmth.

cameron3711mo ago

Right, and @sandra203 hit on something big. Remember when cafes had actual bulletin boards with flyers for local bands and classes? Now it's just sterile walls and digital menus. You used to get a recommendation from someone who knew the menu, not a screen. It turns every spot into the same boring box. That warmth is totally gone.