Shopping malls used to be a symbol of the nuclear age. They were modern and flashy and more than just a place to shop. They offered cinemas, restaurants and, for teens, a place to hang out. And, thanks to the automobile, they prospered.
But now large retailers are closing down stores, leaving malls without “anchor” tenants to draw shoppers and worse, with empty storefronts. The arrival of big-box stores and new-style shopping areas are drawing customers away, too.
It can take years for a mall to die, slowly losing retailers until there is little reason for the owners to keep it open. And it can take many more before the building is redeveloped or demolished. Here are some of the most viral pictures of abandoned malls around the world.
Brett Levin Photography/Flickr
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Sarah Martin/Flickr
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Ian Freimuth/Flickr
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Fernando de Otto/Flickr
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Fernando de Otto/Flickr
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Will Fisher/Flickr
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Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr
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DCMaster/Flickr
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Logan Crouch/Flickr
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Logan Crouch/Flickr
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Logan Crouch/Flickr
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Guido A.J.Stevens/Flickr
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Clinton Steeds/Flickr
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Clinton Steeds/Flickr
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MrTopher/Flickr
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Saul Tannenbaum/Flickr
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Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr
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Dan Sloan/Flickr
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Freakapotimus/Flickr
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Will Fisher/Flickr
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Will Fisher/Flickr
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Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr
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Lainmoon/Flickr
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Ian Freimuth/Flickr
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The Dorsch/Flickr
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Banditob/Flickr
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Maniwa_pa/Flickr
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Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr
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