The Busy Mall is Now Quieter Than It Used to Be... What Happened?

Hello! 👋🏻✨

When I was still studying, the mall was my go-to place when I was bored or just wanted free air-conditioning.😁 The Philippines is hot as an oven so malls here cranked up their ACs to the max!I remember catching those midnight theaters when you can get early access to the film.

Fast forward to today, as we walked to Fisher Mall again, I could not help but wonder, where did the shoppers go? 🧐 Yeah, it was past lunchtime on a weekday, but this mall used to be "alive" pre-pandemic time.

This is the parking area adjacent to the mall. I had never seen Kim's Ramyun before. I was not in the mood to eat spicy food, though it looked tempting. So we just turned left and went to the mall. We thought we could find a better restaurant.

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Have you seen the movie yet? 😁

The movie Deadpool and Wolverine is the talk of the town, and I do not want to be left out, haha! 😆

So my friend and I watched it, so spoilers will no longer work on me. We did not watch it here, because this theater is way more expensive than the regular ones.

It is called the VIP Fisher Box Office. This theater offers unlimited snacks and drinks for the whole stay. The best part is the chair can be reclined with a blanket and a pillow. Nice, right? 😁

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I imagine this place is more appealing during the night as the strings of lights can give the space a warm glow.

This passageway is perfect for a night stroll. Look, I saw an image of the mall during the night. 😁

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Easy breezy to climb on this footbridge as the mall installed an escalator. Oldies will not be worried about their knees, or me with a 50-year-old back. 😆 But kidding aside, I thought the rails needed to be a little higher as it felt unsettling looking down.

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Going down to find a restaurant. This mall's escalators had clear signs to keep things in order. It was just a simple rule- stand on the right and walk on the left. Just proof that a small change makes a big difference. A smoother and hassle-free shopping for everyone! 😊

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We had lunch at Marugame Udon. As I mentioned in my food review blog, not many people were lined up. You can check my full food review blog here.

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It happened that there was an expo bazaar happening. The theme was local products ranging from handcrafted goods to artisanal food. A sweet lady offered me a free taste of a preserved strawberry jam but I was too shy to take it, but I took it anyway. I did not buy though because I can find the same product for half the price on online shopping platforms.

Now, going back to the title of this blog, whatever happened to the once-busy mall? For sure, malls are not the only ones experiencing the decline in foot traffic compared to years ago. 😕

It seems that the shift of this happening contributed to several factors. In my observation, the rise of online shopping platforms made the shopping experience a breeze.

I can access the shops anytime and anywhere with just a tap on the application, plus no physical travel is required. Items will be delivered right on the doorstep, saving time to spend on errands.

Second, due to economic turns, people are more cautious of their spendings- including me! I can buy cheaper or dupe of the item online. Inflation is crazy over here.😫 Might as well be mindful of that to prioritize- essential items. This one factor can be a reason for the shift to declining foot traffic to malls focused on non-essential items.

These were my thoughts while strolling through the mall. I cannot help but reflect on what was changed. Even though thinking about it, I saw these mushroom chips in acute packaging. They looked delicious! 🍄

I do not think the bustling atmosphere like it used to will come back anytime soon, but still, it was a nice visit. Seeing the local expo made me realize that there are things to still appreciate, even at quiet times. 😊

Thanks for reading!

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That is it for this blog. I will see you at the next one!
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