It's a mixed bag for me, although I will say this: My husband hates malls. He says he gets "Mall-legs," meaning he doesn't like to walk, or really, even exist, in the mall. I've always thought the Mall in Columbia was beautiful, and I love the carousel, but that's just me. http://columbia.patch.com/articles/top-10-things-i-m-thankful-for-in-columbia

Ellicott City Rocks! It makes me sad that I have to drive over there and spend money when we have Sykesville Main Street right here! Never understood why our Main Street was not more like E City. We have the same feel and parking here is better. We also have the railroad! What is their secret to a good feel and successful street?

Yes, Amy, I am constantly curious to learn more about Ellicott City's Main Street. The streets there are often filled, and it's especially fun at night when there are street musicians.

Coupons may keep you in the store longer. It's a well known fact that the more time you spend in a store, the more money you're likely to spend in that store but if you are focused and follow instructions on "Printaponss" you will save money

I would honestly never go in a mall if I had a choice. The busy malls, like Arundel Mills are down right claustrophobic and overwhelming. I would much rather support local main street businesses. Unfortunately, in many cases, they can not accomodate me. Their hours are very limited and very often there is just not enough selection for basic needs items (housewares; clothing; etc). I do try to utilize local businesses whenever possible, and encourage/ talk them up to all.

Malls are the cathedrals of the 20th century. Shopping locally on Main Street is the way to go. You get that good old personal attention and you support local, small businesses that keeps the money in the community. Unfortunately, online shopping may eventually replace both.

Well, now, I should have added online shopping to the poll and story. Why didn't I think of that? Thanks, David, that's a an obvious layer to all of this that should definitely be explored.

Malls are derived for the most part of greed driven corporations...nationwide chain stores.
Lots of corporate overhead also associated with malls...makes it tough for most to receive a fair dollar value.
Private shop owners survive off of local patrons and have to offer the best dollar value in order to compete with the greed driven corporate giants. That's why you see the Main St. atmosphere being created....it works... Hunt Valley...

The advantage of the Solo property is that is large enough to become a substantial shopping area with quite a few large and small stores, and it is conveniently located where it is quite visible. That is why I suggested elsewhere that GG might talk to JCP about moving there from the Mall, to bring in retail of a higher level than Walmart or Target. The Mall is essentially dead as a shopping destination, and no redevelopment will bring it back beyond people satisfying an early curiosity, the forgetting it again.

It seems the day of the mall and unlimited free parking is passing. No one has time to wander around a mall anymore. I like the idea of returning to bustling shopping districts but what to do with our cars?

I buy clothing at the big stores but shop Main street for unique gifts, books, resturants and services. When you shop Main Street, you get personalized service, the owner is typically the person helping you and more than likely a resident of the community. I much prefer Main Street. Even if you just walk down the street, you usually see people you know. A much better choice.

Having been one of the craftspersons that helped build Owings Mills Mall, it's hard to believe it's coming down already. Of course, back-in-the-day, we called it The Guchie Mall, with all the big Noo Yawk retailers there when it first opened. Seems they didn't last long (Not too many could afford to shop them). Well, I guess it's progress in reverse. When I was a kid, my parents travelled to downtown Baltimore to Stewarts, Hoschilds, Hamburgers and all of the Big retailers that helped make Baltimore a great place to shop.(Sometime we even walked to downtown, what a novelty!) Then someone got the bright idea to build 'Eastpoint', and that was the beginning of the end for Baltimore City shopping. More people had cars in the 'fifties', and suburban malls became the rage by the 'sixties'. Everything under one roof, what a novel idea. So, here we go again, back to "Downtown Malls", I think not! We'll never see Macy's or Pennys on our crowded Main Streets. No room, and property values are too high for that concept to win out again. Trust me, the Malls are not dead, just going through another transformation, and who knows what the new versions will behold? Yes, History does repeat itself.