[tdumitrescu]

This past weekend I found myself in a mall in the East Bay (Bishop Ranch in San Ramon) and holy carp was it bumping with people, like a mall from before the before times. A big open central courtyard with families hanging out all over this fake grass, kids riding the escalator to gawk at people from the second level, I was like "what year is this?" A lot of the shops and restaurants were more bougie than those of past malls, there was a big Williams Sonoma, eating options included The Slanted Door, Mendocino Farms, Delarosa Pizza, so a far cry from the Sbarro and Cinnabon style of the classic mall. Maybe that's their secret.

[phpthrowaway99]

It's the location. San Ramon is a great town. Stick that same mall in Modesto, CA and it would be something else entirely.

[hindsightbias]

You wouldn’t know there’s a recession at any of the Home Depots. Still short of cashiers.