After the Mall: Can We Build a New Third Place?

It's hard for Zoomers to believe, but the mall was once not only the preferred place to shop, its importance went beyond a mere retail hub. The mall served as a gathering spot where people connected, interacted, and shared their lives beyond their homes and workplaces.

Malls, which began in the 1950s and reached their peak in the 1980s, were central to t…