It’s Black Friday and I thought I’d do something out of character for me, but entirely in keeping with the season. I went to a shopping mall. For those of you not used to the customs of the United States, the day after Thanksgiving is the official start of the Christmas present purchasing period. Most people have off from work, kids don’t have school, so everyone hits the malls.
This mall is pretty typical with all the usual chain stores. Families were out in force. Young people were milling about. Old folks were enjoying a leisurely walk in the climate control since the weather outside was a bit harsh.
And of course there’s a food court with a Texas Roadhouse, a P.F. Chang’s with the trademark fiberglass horse statue, a Tim Horton’s, a little Italian, a little sushi, a little Mexican, and a few upscale white tablecloth places.
The twist? This mall happens to be in Dubai. Go figure.
John Sanphillippo lives in San Francisco and blogs about urbanism, adaptation, and resilience at granolashotgun.com. He's a member of the Congress for New Urbanism, films videos for faircompanies.com, and is a regular contributor to Strongtowns.org. He earns his living by buying, renovating, and renting undervalued properties in places that have good long term prospects. He is a graduate of Rutgers University.
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