Southdale: the first indoor shopping mall

An Ethnography

Mall of America I can’t stand.  It’s all too busy and touristy for me; I’m not a fan of crowds unless I’m at an outdoor concert.  But I have always liked Southdale, especially around the Holidays – so that’s where I went.  I entered through the Herbergers entrance on the East side of the mall (I ran because it was pouring rain) and immediately people were trying to sell me junk.

Three girls sat right inside the door selling holiday coupon books for five bucks.  They could see right through me when I told them I’d think about it and let them know on my way out, I wouldn’t be long.  The truth is that coupons are great if you know how to use them in a way that will actually help you save money, but I know that if I were to spend five dollars on a coupon book I’d feel obligated to use as many of the coupons as I could and I just know I would spend a lot more than five dollars doing so.

And then, two steps in the door and I was slapped in the face by Christmas.  It’s usually the big department stores that do it up big.  Herbergers (founded in Minnesota might I add) was a Christmas wonderland of music, decorations and products.  “Holly Jolly Christmas” was playing and I was surrounded by Christmas trees, reindeer and a bright sign that read, “Cheer begins at home”.

I got out of there quick and went up to the second level of the shopping mall, where girls were swarming around Victoria’s Secret and their “Holiday Lingerie Shop” that just came out.  I spoke with one of the workers who was dying to get off work so she could do some shopping herself, and something occurred to me: sex sells, Christmas sells, the two together are dangerous combination for consumers.  I can never spend too much time in that store – it’s like somebody sprayed twelve different perfumes in your face all at once.  I was actually surprised by how busy the mall was on a Wednesday night; maybe it was because of the rain.  Lines were so long at check out they actually asked the employees to open another register – which they did.

Then I found my way into Ragstock: the original “recycled” ugly Christmas sweater store.  I could hear the voice in my head saying, “it’s just the Christmas music talking, you don’t really want to buy anything.” But it didn’t matter. It totally worked. The Christmas music, the atmosphere, the hustle-bustle of the holiday season… I love it.

Ps.

Matt, I blame you one hundred percent for the completely unnecessary seventy-three bucks I spent on Christmas sweaters and cozy socks at Ragstock.