1 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to save our protection. If I hear 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: radio and Steph Media, I'm any and I'm Lauren voge olbam. 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: And today we're talking about the food court. Yeah, the 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: food court, that one, the single food court, Like you 5 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: all know which one we're talking about, enough said, right right, 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: heavy wink. Mall food courts and food holes similar, yeah, yeah, 7 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: kind of kind of extrapolating out from there, but yeah, 8 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: mostly mall food courts. Yes, And this was an idea 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: that we had based on the new season of Stranger Things, 10 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: um which heavily features a mall food court. Yes. And 11 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: I believe since Stranger Things is filmed here in Atlanta, 12 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: where we also record our media, that's true. Hum. We 13 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: were just discussing that. I believe this was filmed at 14 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: the the original, the original mall that that I attended 15 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: here in Atlanta. I moved here like fourteen years ago, 16 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: and I moved like right right down the street from 17 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: the North Decam mall. And I think I believe that's 18 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: the one. I like. I like that in your universe 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: that is the original mall, the original I'll be defined 20 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: around the mall that you my original. I like it. 21 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: I like it's like a timeline thing. Um yeah, I 22 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: I I was saying that if anyone doesn't know about 23 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: North decap and they're in the Atlanta area, very cheap 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: movie tickets. Oh yeah, yeah, great for that really cheap. Yes, 25 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:42,639 Speaker 1: And I as we record this tomorrow is the fourth 26 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: of July, and I will be running a race and 27 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: very unhappy about it. But then I'm gonna go home, 28 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna crash and I'm gonna watch things. Oh well, see, 29 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: that's that's delightful. Hopefully, hopefully you're going to do great 30 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: in your race, and the stranger things part will be 31 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: will hopefully be delightful. Just pretend I have those monsters 32 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: racing behind me. That is fine. And there's that Zombies 33 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: run app which is great. Yeah. And we recently spent 34 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: a lot of time in a mall food court a 35 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: decent amount of chime in Hawaii. Um shier kia, which 36 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: is a Japanese walk Yes, uh yeah, it's it's a 37 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 1: it's a yokocho, which is a type of a Japanese 38 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: concept of a food court within a mall situation. And 39 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: it was delightful. As we went back twice. We we did. Yeah, 40 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: we ate so much there, so much of it was 41 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: so card heavy and it was everything was beautiful. It 42 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: was it was um yea. And we went to another 43 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: one in Hawaii to we didn't spend as much time 44 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: in that one, but we went to another chese yeah. Um. 45 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: And speaking of I have been to food courts in 46 00:02:53,760 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: Japan and China and they have blown my friaking minds. Yeah. Wow, 47 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: they seem from from my experiences in Hawaii, Uh, they 48 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: seem to be much much larger and more hectic and 49 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: more alcohol based, yes, than what you consider when what 50 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: you typically think of, I think yeah, and when the 51 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: ones I'm thinking of, there are a lot more options. 52 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: There's so many options for everything. Yeah, you want bubble 53 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: t there's like fifteen types you want stir fry types 54 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: like yeah, sure, it's a lot going on. And also 55 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: Lauren and I have both agreed that thanks to Silent Hill, 56 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: a few things are as frightening as an abandoned mall 57 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: in the food courts involved in that. Yeah, a lot 58 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: of a lot of scary movies take place and closed 59 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: are abandoned malls. I'm partially can well, I think it's 60 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: partially a metaphor capitalism for capitalism and partially starting with 61 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: a George or Merrow. Um. But but partially they're kind 62 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: of inexpensive filming location. That's true. But I will say 63 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: that a large number of my nightmares take place in 64 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: shopping malls. Yeah, all the time. In my dreams, I'd 65 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: be I'd be straight shopping and shopping the nightmare part. 66 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: It can be both, It can be either both. Usually 67 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: it's both. Oh gosh, speak into your psyche. I know, right, 68 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: I have said too much. Um. Producer Casey and I 69 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: were in South Africa over New Year's and like everything 70 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: was abandoned. It wasn't abandoned, but it felt very empty. 71 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: And the people that I met there said that a 72 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 1: lot of people go on vacation during that so it's 73 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: kind of an emptier city. So I just remember being 74 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 1: with Casey and wandering around a mall that had nobody 75 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: in it and thinking, this is we can find the exit? 76 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 1: Oh no, oh yeah, And then you just hear the 77 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 1: lone pair of shoes coming like walking down the escalator. 78 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: That sound. Oh my god, the mist starts creeping in 79 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 1: my heart is beating heart. This episode will not be 80 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: entirely creeping, although now that I think about it. It 81 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 1: is interesting the stranger things is in the mall. But 82 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: there's a couple of reasons for that. I would guess, Um, 83 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: when I was in middle slash high school, I hung 84 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: out a decent amountain food courts. Yeah. Us both being 85 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: children of the eighties and or nineties, I would say 86 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 1: that's a pretty common experience. Yeah, and for me, that's 87 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: looking back, that's very bizarre because to get to a 88 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: food court was like an hour drive. There was no 89 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: mall around me. Yeah, but I did it a still 90 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: North Point mall. Um. I typically went to Anti Ant's 91 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,799 Speaker 1: Pretzels and I got the honey Galay sauce that's my favorite. 92 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: Um strawberry smoothie, Chinese food and or Hogan Nahs with 93 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: the Mountain Rocky Mountain Road favorite. My mom always got 94 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: a farmer's basket or euro Oh I'm not sure that 95 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: I know what farmer's basket is. It's just like potato, 96 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: I mean potatoes. Yeah. Sure. Uh. Coral Square Mall for forever. 97 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: Anyone who's familiar with the South Florida Coral Coral Springs area, 98 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: that was my mall growing up. Um Uh. When I 99 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 1: went with my grandmother, we would always get an anti 100 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: Ane's a cinnamon and sugar classic. Um. Sometimes we would 101 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: go to the mall just to get take out from 102 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: the Japanese teppanyaki place. Yeah, my grandmother loved it. Um uhs. 103 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: And as a teen, I would usually get some kind 104 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: of a bourbon chicken from whichever stall was selling it, 105 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: because I feel like in the nineties, like every stall, 106 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,119 Speaker 1: no matter what cuisine they were selling, had just bourbon chicken. 107 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: Yeah it's not a free bourbon chicken. Samples, oh it 108 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: was my favorite. Or a blizzard from Dairy Queen or 109 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: smoothie once those started happening. Um, I still get a 110 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: pang of nostalgia whenever I see an Orange Julius. Yeah, 111 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: I I don't know that I've ever had Orange Julius 112 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: outside of the pre sample. The smoothie that I got 113 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: was from a different place, a competitor. Oh no, yes, 114 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: smoothie competition. But okay, okay, all of this thanks her questions. Yes, 115 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: food courts, what are they? Well, a food court is 116 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: a group of booths or stalls, each selling different food 117 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: and drink within a larger structure, and again, mostly for 118 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: the purposes of this episode, the larger structure we're talking 119 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: about is a shopping mall, which is itself a group 120 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: of shops, each selling different wares within a larger structure. 121 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: Whoas recursive right word iterative? Sure. Yeah. The space allotted 122 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: to food court restaurants is truncated. The storefront is usually 123 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: quite small, just a register and either a work counter 124 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: or like a staff served buffet your customer, seating and 125 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: restrooms and all the utilities other practicalities for those restaurants 126 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: in a food court is often completely communal and managed 127 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: by the by the mall building management. Yes, and in 128 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: my particular food court there was a merry go round. Goodness, Okay, 129 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: it's fancy, It's very fancy. I never got the right 130 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: What was I doing? What were you doing? I'm going 131 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: to fix this. You're eating Rocky Mountain Road. I knew 132 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: what was important, you did, you had priorities. The kitchens 133 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: for these establishments are typically hidden back behind um the storefronts. 134 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: Walls UM are kind of like splash splash walls, and 135 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: depending on the kitchen space, the food might be prepped 136 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: or part cooked, or cooked entirely at a larger, perhaps 137 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: central locations, and then reheated in store. In modern or 138 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: arguably postmodern capitalist commerce. The shops and restaurants selling stuff 139 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: in malls are are mostly branches or franchises of national 140 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: or international chains. Independent vendors are much less frequent. Restaurants 141 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: and mall food courts have traditionally been fast food or 142 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: at least like pre prepared and ready to box and go. 143 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: And for yeah, like a long time that the slowest 144 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: food you could possibly get into food court was a 145 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: sandwich built speck. And because we humans like commerce, UM, 146 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: A lot of theory and research has been written up 147 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: about malls and food courts. If you're into that sort 148 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: of thing, it is so fascinating. I went down rabbit holes. Um. Yeah. 149 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: Malls are are again like kind of postmodern lee characterized 150 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 1: as theatrical and hyper real UM intended to provoke customer excitement. 151 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: Intricate study is done into UM animating customers within and 152 00:09:54,240 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: among stores, and into orchestrating the shopping experience UM as 153 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: a as a leisure experience rather than as a chore. Yeah, 154 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: and food, of course is UH is central to that 155 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: perhaps of course often literally central. The food court is 156 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: off at the very center of the mall. M because 157 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: you've got to get to it. You've got to go 158 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: through all that's how it is. Gotta pass the Hot 159 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: Topic and the Forever twenty one and the Spencers and 160 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 1: by then, yeah, at all this stuff. You don't know 161 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: why or how. Yeah, but but you've worked up a 162 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: hunger and you have to walk past all those stores 163 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: again on your way back. If there was something you 164 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: were thinking about that you didn't buy the first time, 165 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: you've got another opportunity. It's true. There was a big 166 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: hubbub a couple of years ago because um, this I 167 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: would say fancier mall called Avalon opened on Exit tin 168 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: and North Point Mall is Exit nine. Oh goodness, it's 169 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: a direct competition, and everyone was like so excited about Avalon. 170 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: It's gonna be so fancy, has like um big restaurants 171 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: in Atlanta, Bacata Burger and um Antikos. They have restaurants 172 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 1: at Avalon. And my mom and I go to north 173 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: Point Mall every year for Black Friday. And I've seen J. C. 174 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: Penny try so hard to do what you just said, 175 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: like via leisure destination. They put like weird couches in 176 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: the middle, and like I've had things that you could 177 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: play with and there's like coffee you could get like 178 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: in the middle of the clothes. Yeah. Yeah, more more 179 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: shops or more department stores. I've seen like like having 180 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: like a Starbucks like in yeah the store, and I'm 181 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: just like, goodness, Yeah, there's Okay. The most recent research 182 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: that I read about this isn't super reseent. It's from 183 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: maybe like twenty eleven or so, and people were saying 184 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: that the average time spent in a shopping center was 185 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: I believe eighty four minutes and uh, and so they 186 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: were they were looking for any way to stretch that. Yeah, 187 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: because the longer you got them hypothetically, Yeah, and and 188 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: just yet to make it to make it a chill vibe, 189 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:23,239 Speaker 1: a chill but somehow pressing vibe. It's very interesting. Yeah, okay, uh, 190 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: some some some numbers, yes, and we'll have some sprinkled throughout. 191 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: But here's a few. Between nine and two thousand five, 192 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: the US built hundred malls, okay, yeah, and the US 193 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: has about one eight food halls, which will get into 194 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: more later. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and research shows that shoppers 195 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: at malls with a solid food court like decent options 196 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: spend up to more just in general. So yeah, it's 197 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: important numbers prove it out. They do. And culturally, I 198 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: would say the beginning of the eighties, malls and the 199 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: food courts represented teenage. That was our version of teenage freedom, 200 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: which is a little bit borked when you think about it. Indeed. 201 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: I mean the car was like the teenage freedom of 202 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: the nineteen fifties and sixties, right, And we were like, 203 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 1: let's go shopping, let's go hang out at the mall 204 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: and slowly and does that's what we were doing and 205 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: then maybe go into hot topic. Maybe malls that still 206 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: had video game arcades. Those were the very best balls, 207 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: hard to find by the time, by the time, like 208 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: the mid to late nineties world around. But you know, 209 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: I actually got banned from an arcade because I kept winning, Lauren. 210 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: I was good at the Claw, and if you did 211 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: the Claw, you've got two hundred tickets. And I would 212 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: just get all the two hundred tickets until there were 213 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: no more and they'd be like, you're not welcome here 214 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: ever again. Oh well, it wasn't ever again. It was 215 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: like I just just dang, I don't know, I figured 216 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: something out, uh, But it did epitomize the teen experiences. 217 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: It's what you did um, specifically in the suburbs. Yes, yes, yes, um. 218 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: And while food courts may maybe a bit of a 219 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: relic becoming relicky, that's what a lot of articles I 220 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: remember when this idea first caught my attention. This because 221 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: stuff you should know. Our fellow podcast they did one 222 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: on like the death of the mall food court, and 223 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: I was like, I want to know all about this. Um, 224 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: the trendier, more expensive cousin of the food court, the 225 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: food hall is on their eyes, and there is one 226 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: in this very building. Yes, yes, we technically work above 227 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: them all. We technically do. Yes. But this brings us 228 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: to some history. Yes, but first it brings us to 229 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: a quick break for word from our sponsor, and we're back. 230 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: Thank you sponsored, Yes, thank you. Food courts have been 231 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: around a good while. It turns out malls have been 232 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: around for a good while in one form or another. 233 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: Centers of commerce perhaps um. Ancient Greece had the Agora 234 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: places of assembly that served both as community spaces and 235 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: commercial spaces, lots of stalls and vendors, stuff like that. 236 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: It's also where the word uh agoraphobia comes from. Really 237 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: in second century CE, and for Trajan commissioned to the 238 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: construction of Trajan's Market, and this market was built next 239 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: to a hill and at some sections reached six stories. 240 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: And while don't have a food court per se, I'm 241 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: fairly certain in historians whose word you can trust more 242 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: than mine perhaps are fairly certain that some kind of 243 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: food was available there. One of the first food courts 244 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: was over five hundred years back to Issembul's Grand Bazaar. 245 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: Thousands thousands of specialty shops kebab sweet spices still in operation. 246 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: By the sixteen hundreds, major cities in Europe had one 247 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: or two story buildings devoted to multiple indoor kiosks and shops, 248 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: some of which would have sold food and shopping. Arcades 249 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: were popular around Europe during the early eighteen hundreds, and 250 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: these were a little bit more formalized, a little bit fancier. Uh. 251 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: I was very confused when I went to Rudding, England 252 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: and and saw an arcade advertise, because I was like, 253 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: that's that's a large that's a large place for video 254 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: games in the middle of this kind of middle of 255 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: nowhere town. I had the same confusion. Definitely, definitely a 256 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: shopping arcade, not a video arcade. Still delightful, Yeah, for sure, 257 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: I had, um, what I think is now an adorably 258 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: naive thought. I thought Piccadilly Circus was a circus I 259 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: was going to see, like the circus I've never been. 260 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: Oh my god. It was like, yes, I'm gonna get out. 261 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 1: It's gonna be a big time that I wandered around, like, 262 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: where's the circus? Oh, young Andy? Perfect kind of related 263 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: all this in four Charles Henry Harrod and yes that 264 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 1: Herod opened a grocery and t shop and it was very, 265 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: very small, but not very small for long. It flourished 266 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: and grew into Herod's department store Omnia omnibus que. Their 267 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: slogan goes everything for everyone, everywhere. I went to that 268 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: last time I was in London, and it is a lot. 269 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 1: It is a lot. Boston's Quincy Market got it start 270 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market in eight and Seattle's Pike 271 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: Place in nineteen o seven. The early nineteen hundreds is 272 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: when the mall started to dominate in downtown USA. These 273 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: were places women could go out in lunch, like women 274 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 1: in public. Don't worry, Annie, I'm worried. I'm worried. Um. 275 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: There's the Walnut Room, which is a very famous dining 276 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: room above a tiffany dome. Um. And at the time, 277 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: these fancy white tablecloth restaurants were all the rage in 278 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: these kind of early mall food corps um. But there 279 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 1: was a shift and a shift to cheaper, faster options. 280 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: One of the things that precipitated this change was the 281 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 1: post World War two migration of Americans into suburbia. A 282 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: nine article from The Times called Flight to Suburbia put 283 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: the number of shopping malls at ninety three, with twenty 284 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: five more in progress. Almost all of them had dining options. 285 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,959 Speaker 1: Cafeterias like Morrison's or wool Worse five and dime became 286 00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: the thing, the elusive thing, um. And I can see 287 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 1: this reflected to my dad, who loved going to cafeterias, 288 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: even though I really did not like it. And it 289 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,160 Speaker 1: wasn't because of the food, but because of the stress 290 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: I felt it carrying the tree. Oh oh, it could 291 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: topple at any moment, because you've got your balance of 292 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: water and all your dessert and your oh, your salad. 293 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 1: It's too much anyway. Um. The first shopping mall in 294 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 1: the United States was Southdale Center in Adena, which is 295 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: a suburb outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it was designed 296 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: by a Viennese socialist architect by the name of Victor Gruen, 297 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: who had fled Europe in eight uh fleeing from from 298 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: the Nazis, and made his business in America designing boutique 299 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: shops and department stores, and then this mall in nineteen 300 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: fifty six. It was a two story structure. It still 301 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: is a two story structure with with room for a 302 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: few dozen shops to to anchor department stores wanted either 303 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: end and and the space of those shops opened up 304 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: into a shared inner courtyard. And it was all covered 305 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,959 Speaker 1: by a roof temperature control throughout the entire building, and 306 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: of course escalators up and down, one on either side 307 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: of them. All. Yeah. It contained not a food court 308 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 1: as such, but but cafes around the courtyard, which grew 309 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: in called the garden Court of Perpetual Spring. This this 310 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: guy had ideas and they were beautifully, beautifully expressed. Um. 311 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 1: He was hoping to revitalize this post war suburb into 312 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: like a like a walkable community kind of space. Uh. 313 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: He called suburbs avenues of horror, flanked by the greatest 314 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: collection of vulgarity billboards motels, gas stations, shanties, car lots, 315 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:58,160 Speaker 1: miscellaneous industrial equipment, hot dog stands, wayside stores ever collected 316 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: by mankind not hot dog stands. Ah and yeah, Gruin's mall, 317 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: the Southdale Center is basically where humanity got the blueprint 318 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: for the mall as we know it um. And then, 319 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: of course Americans went and surrounded them by parking lots 320 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: and motels and gas stations and wayside stores, hot dog stands, 321 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: hot dog stands, and poor poor Gruin. By by night 322 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: he was so fed up with America's take on his 323 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: design that he said, I would like to take this 324 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: opportunity to disclaim paternity once and for all. I refused 325 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: to pay alimony to those bastard developments. They destroyed our cities. 326 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: Who whoa, He was mad about it. I think that's fair. 327 00:21:53,840 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: I'd be like, yeah, okay, all right, yeah, sorry out. 328 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: When it comes to the first successful mall food court, 329 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: there are two contenders, Toronto's Shoreway Gardens and New Jersey's 330 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 1: paramous mall. Both or the brainchild of James W. Rouse. 331 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 1: And he was leading the charge when it came to 332 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,400 Speaker 1: mall development, and he frequently gets the credit for coining 333 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: shopping mall in the fifties. His dream was create community centers, 334 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: places where people could gather. Columbia, Maryland. The city was 335 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,120 Speaker 1: based on his ideas around community design. Oh yeah yeah, 336 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: grew in designed to the plans for a few cities 337 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: throughout America. Fresno is the one that's coming to mind anyway. 338 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: Decades later, Rouse went on to spearhead urban renewal projects 339 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,919 Speaker 1: and as the generation of kids who moved out to 340 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: the suburbs grew up and had their own children in 341 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 1: the seventies and eighties, those kids grew up near malls. 342 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: The mall was a cultural centerpiece. UM, the source of 343 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: board games, game shows, concert tours. UM. Britney Spears in 344 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 1: part got started this way. I have a friend who 345 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: told me he saw Miley Syres before she was big 346 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: at North Point Ball. But I don't know that's true. Um, 347 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: why would you lie though? Anyway? Eight two film Fast 348 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: Times at Ridgemont High. Did you ever play the board 349 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: game Mall Madness? I did not? Oh, this was okay. 350 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: So there were two two versions that I have witnessed. UM. 351 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: The earlier version was was a board game where you 352 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 1: were at a mall and like the goal was to 353 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,959 Speaker 1: collect certain types of stuff from different stores as you 354 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 1: moved around the board. And uh, the the new fancy 355 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: version that I that I really covet it, even though 356 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: I didn't really enjoy playing the game. UM had had 357 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: this digital digital component where like you, each player had 358 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 1: a had a little credit card and the in the 359 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 1: board had like a little thing that you would stick 360 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,879 Speaker 1: the credit card into and it would tell you stuff. 361 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: I don't know, a little digital voice. I don't remember 362 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: what it said. It's probably really a fun se. Maybe 363 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: maybe it was just criticizing your shopping choices. Oh well, no, 364 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: not offensive like that. It was probably just like, isn't 365 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: shopping the best for girls? Because girls love shopping and stuff. 366 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 1: That's probably exactly what it said. You are spot. Yeah, 367 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: I didn't know. I am a board game human. I 368 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: love playing board games. And when I was doing the 369 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: research and they had just this list of board games 370 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: based on shopping, I was kind of taken aback that 371 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: I had not heard of them. Wow. Yeah, UM one 372 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: of the staples that emerged around this time in terms 373 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: of small restaurant fare, not in terms of board games. Yes, 374 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: although that could have happened as well, And I don't know. 375 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:45,479 Speaker 1: UM is a go to that is still around, and 376 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: it is orange Julius, orange juice and a few choice ingredients. 377 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: As the slogan went, they hand out for examples, like 378 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 1: we talked about UM. On the West Coast, another staple 379 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: emerged hot Dogs on a stick, which specialized in corn 380 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: dogs and lemonade, frequently served by women adorned in like 381 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: really brightly striped mini dresses and hats. Other heavy hitter 382 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: ethnic choices emerged around this time, like Panda Express. Sabarrow, 383 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,199 Speaker 1: which too much shame is the first pizza I ever 384 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: had in New York City. Sorry, the first Sabarrow opened 385 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty six, by the way, and the first 386 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 1: moll Ocation opened in nineteen seventy, And I went on 387 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: such a Sabarrow rabbit hole. They have this whole pizza 388 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: pizza centric model to modernize. Oh that's that's good. I'm 389 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: glad if they're going pizza centric, that's good for them. 390 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: Pizza centric is a fun word. Is that I feel 391 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 1: like I am pizza centric? This is another T shirt idea, 392 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: so many T shirt ideas. Then along came the cookie trend, 393 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 1: which we talked about a little bit in our chocolate 394 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: chip cookie episode, The Great American Cookie Company, Mrs Fields, 395 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: the cookie Cake, Oh yes, the cookie cake. The success 396 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,160 Speaker 1: of the mall food court rippled out into other sectors, 397 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 1: especially those involving feeding large groups of people, like college campuses. 398 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: A lot of them switched from a more dining hall 399 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 1: type setup um to a more food court type situation, 400 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: sometimes featuring big names like Taco Bell and Pizza Huts. 401 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 1: And I bring those two up because they are popular options, 402 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: but also because there are some Atlanta lure around those two, 403 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: specifically from my alma mater, Georgia Tech, because being in Atlanta, 404 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 1: I believe this is the story. We were told they 405 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 1: are the only ones of those franchises to serve Coca 406 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: Cola and not Pepsi because the parent company is Pepsi, Yes, 407 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 1: or the same company anyway, Yes, um, but being Coca 408 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: Cola is like right across the street, they say no 409 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: serving Coca Cola here, and I think there's a deal, 410 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: like there's some kind of contract with Georgia Tech showing 411 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: about Coca Cola and everyone knows. I love a very 412 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: ring legal dramas, so I find it fascinating. Airports shifted 413 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: this way as well. Towards a more food court type design, 414 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: and so did hospitals, And to this day blows my 415 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: mind when I see McDonald's in hospital, I was like, 416 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,400 Speaker 1: where am I right? Yeah, it's very strange, very bizarre. 417 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: The innual face eighties vibe of malls really didn't job 418 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: with the grungy sensibilities of the nineties. Oh they tried it, 419 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: tried so hard, They tried so hard. Mall started to 420 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 1: try to be more adult, adding in casual, sit down 421 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: restaurants like Cheesecake Factory. And this was a big thing. 422 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: When I got all over, my parents wanted me to 423 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: meet them at the Cheesecake Factory at North Point Mall 424 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: and California Pizza Kitchen. That's another big one. In the film, 425 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 1: Scenes from a Mall with Bette Midler and Woody Allen 426 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 1: largely featured, so Coyle's Mall the Beverly Center. By the way, 427 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 1: nineteen was peak mall in America. Nineteen malls opened in 428 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: the United States that year. And speaking of Pete Mall, 429 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: it is time for the Mary Kate Nashley factor of 430 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:11,640 Speaker 1: the episode. In a glorious event in mall food court history, 431 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: Minneapolis opened the mall of America, the world's largest mall 432 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: for food courts for an amusement park in Aquarium, the 433 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: centerpiece of Mary Kate and Ashley Adventure. Malls were at 434 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 1: their highest point, but as they flew too close to 435 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 1: the sun or too close to the Internet, because this 436 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: marked when people started moving to shopping on the recession, 437 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: did not help. No no, no, no no UM and 438 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: Yes malls then and now are in general and trouble. 439 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: UM anchor stores, those big department stores like Sears and 440 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: Macy's are drawing fewer consumers. Many have been forced to 441 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: close up shop with those draws. Dead food courts, which 442 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: depend largely on foot traffic and impulse purchasing, our suffering 443 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 1: as well. In two thousand, three of Cinnamon stores were 444 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: in trouble. Dippin Dots filed for bankruptcy Circle Sabarrow was 445 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: looking for bankruptcy protection as Johnba Juice closed twenty two 446 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: stores in New York and Chicago alone. Uh malls began 447 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 1: renovating their food courts, making them bright and shiny, putting 448 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 1: in merry grounds um hoping to stem the loss of 449 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: foot traffic, and some mainstays have switched focus, like a 450 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 1: Panda Express now operates largely standalone stores like of their 451 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: stores are stand alone as of UM. The aforementioned Cinnamon 452 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: and John B Juice and Dipping Dots. I believe are 453 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: opening kiosks in amusement parks and airports on college campuses, 454 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: stuff like that. Yes, there's a Panda Express in six 455 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: flags over Georgia. Oh, there you go. That's success. Have 456 00:29:55,040 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: I never heard it? But the concept was dead. It 457 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: matured into food halls involved shifted. Yes, these are I 458 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: guess fancier, more expensive and trinity for sure versions of 459 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: small food courts. They typically have a market aspect as 460 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: in each of the restaurants have to have a market 461 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: where you can buy things like spices or here it's 462 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: mostly like spices, or like dishware, olive oil. Yeah, things 463 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: like that. UM. Celebrity chefs might be involved and leading 464 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: the charge was Etaly, a food hall opened in old 465 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: Italian Vermouth factory in two thousand and seven and it 466 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: now has several locations. From food halls are expected to 467 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: triple from seen there was a seven increase in food 468 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: halls who UM. As of the third financial quarter of 469 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 1: there were ninety six major food hall projects in the 470 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 1: United States. With an additional thirty five slated to open 471 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter. Wow. Yeah. Interesting thing about these 472 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: um is a lot of them are revitalized abandoned malls, 473 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: especially Sears and Roebuck. It seems that's true for our 474 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: home food. Yeah we we are. We are in an 475 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: old Sears and Roebuck building. Yes we are, Yes we are. 476 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: And I've seen food halls described as millennial, post industrial urban, 477 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: and I would say it reflects a larger shift to 478 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 1: this food to table local is better idea. And I'm 479 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: not necessarily saying that it's what's happening. I think that's 480 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: just kind of the mindset. Yeah. And also foodism, the 481 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: food is often the draw as opposed to something to 482 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: fuel your need for shopping in your shopping spree. An 483 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: article from Box claims has to do with our desire 484 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 1: for quote authenticity. Yeah. A lot of the food concepts 485 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: at food halls are are independent ones, local local chefs, 486 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: local stuff. Yes, and for chefs from what I've read, 487 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: it does remove the startup cost um and usually ensures 488 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 1: a certain amount of foot traffic. And because of this, 489 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:07,000 Speaker 1: they are frequently treated as incubators. Are like a way 490 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: to try a new new concept, new idea. Um, and 491 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: I have been. I think that maybe the last time 492 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: I went to New York. No, no, because we went recently. 493 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 1: But the time before that, I went to New York's 494 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: Chelsea Market, which is our home food hall is designed 495 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: based on that one, right, yeah, the same property owners 496 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: Jamestown also designed to Chelsea Market, and they also have 497 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 1: a newer one in New York called the Cab, I think, 498 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 1: and I went to that one and it was fact wow, 499 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 1: I waited in line a long time for some good 500 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: ice cream. M hm, yes, and I have my confession 501 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 1: is one of my favorite lame tourist things to do 502 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: when in New York City is to get a drink 503 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:55,239 Speaker 1: in Grand Central Station and people watch, which has its 504 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: own like food court thing. Yeah, oh hey, that's people 505 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 1: watching is a wonderful spectator sport, it is. And malls 506 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: and food courts they are their high quality. Every time 507 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: I forget, because if we're like in an office, and 508 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 1: I always forget when I go downstairs randomly for something 509 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: that there is a mall below was and it's going 510 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: to be populated with people who are shopping there. Yeah yeah, yeah, um, 511 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,479 Speaker 1: it's a it's it's it's a very it's very strange. 512 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: The whole uh post postmodern concept of live work play 513 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 1: of is very odd to me. Um. I my two 514 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: of my very dear friends once wrote the book and 515 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: lyrics for a Plane, which the main struggle was crampus 516 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:56,560 Speaker 1: versus h shopping kind of um and one of one 517 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: of the lines in it that that stuck with me 518 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: was was this this very millennial character going, I always 519 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: wanted to live in a mall growing up, and now 520 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: I can. Yeah. Oh man, I feel like there's a 521 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: lot of stuff to unpack. Oh yeah, when it comes 522 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:17,799 Speaker 1: to the mall. That's why there's so many horror things 523 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: based around it. Yeah, cramps one in the play. If 524 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 1: you're wondering, I figured, I figured. Um. But that about 525 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: brings us to the end of this episode. But we 526 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: do have a little bit more for you. But first 527 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: we have one more quick weak for a word from 528 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:45,879 Speaker 1: our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, thank you, 529 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:53,879 Speaker 1: and we're back with I didn't follow you on that one, 530 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 1: but I but I liked it. Yeah, it's hard to 531 00:34:55,920 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 1: do the stranger things. Oh words isn't fit. Yeah, but 532 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 1: I eighties sound in in general is hard. To accomplish 533 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 1: without since and I have not mastered that yet. Well, 534 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: another thing that I look forward to you working on 535 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:20,399 Speaker 1: I'll put on my list. William shat your impression. That's 536 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 1: those are my goals. That's it, yep, Kate Rope, I 537 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: just finished listening to the Watermelon episode. In the middle 538 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,279 Speaker 1: of it, I froze because you mentioned someone I know, 539 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: Slaughtermelon from Middle Georgia, Derby Demon Slaughter, who goes by 540 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:36,879 Speaker 1: Lonnie when not on the track, is a longtime friend 541 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 1: and exactly as cool a person as you'd expect with 542 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:40,839 Speaker 1: a name like that. But more to the point, I'm 543 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:43,239 Speaker 1: running to answer Anne's hope she does, in fact or 544 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 1: one of those watermelon helmets. Yes, and she messages on 545 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:52,799 Speaker 1: Facebook and she has like watermelon leggings to best Oh Van, 546 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 1: thank you Lonnie. Yeah, that's that's wonderful. That is so cool. 547 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: We were hoping somehow the word would get to you. 548 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: It's a small world, and that is delightful. Heck Sean wrote, 549 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: just finished the Chuck E Cheese episode and was a 550 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,879 Speaker 1: little disappointed you didn't mention the Tim Wilson at Lanta 551 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: native now deceased song Chuck E Cheese Hell. Tim was 552 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,840 Speaker 1: a Southern comedian who wrote many parody and original songs 553 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: to go along with his act. Many of them are 554 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,719 Speaker 1: of actual events which may occur in the South, such 555 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: as the fistfight at a Southern Baptist church softball game. However, 556 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 1: Chuck E Cheese Hell is about everything y'all discussed in 557 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 1: the episode. I hope you will look it up on 558 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,840 Speaker 1: YouTube and watch it if you haven't or weren't aware 559 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 1: of the song that sounds right up for Ali. Yeah, 560 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:45,320 Speaker 1: Oh I haven't. I haven't opened it yet, but we will. 561 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 1: We will. Yeah, thank you. Yeah. No, anytime that there's 562 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,040 Speaker 1: a parody song attached to something that we've covered, please 563 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 1: let us know. Yes, I on Sunday, I saw a 564 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 1: weird now in concert. Oh you did? It's great, Yeah, 565 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 1: and I had a very wonderful time. I'm a big 566 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:10,359 Speaker 1: fan of parity songs. So yes, anytime, anytime. But in 567 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 1: the meantime, thanks to both of them for writing to us. 568 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: If you would like to write to us, you can. 569 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: Our email is Hello at saborpod dot com. We're also 570 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: on social media. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, 571 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: and Twitter at savor pod. We do hope to hear 572 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,240 Speaker 1: from you. Savor is a production of I heart Radio 573 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:30,800 Speaker 1: and Stuff Media. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 574 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:34,640 Speaker 1: you can visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 575 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,520 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thank you 576 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,480 Speaker 1: as always to our superproducers Dylan Vagan and Andrew Howard. 577 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:43,359 Speaker 1: Thanks to you for listening, and we hope that lots 578 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 1: more good things are coming your way.