After reviewing Kowinski's notion that shopping malls enjoy an iconic status, I definitely agree with his philosophy. Over the past five years, many new malls have been constructed in the Central Ohio region. For instance, some newer malls in this area are Easton Town Center, Polaris Fashion Center, and Tuttle Crossing Mall. Being an avid shopper, I have visited many of them. Each mall is designed very uniquely and each varies in style, character, and originality. This support's Kowinki's reasoning that malls can have an iconic status. For me, I have found my mood and shopping preferences tend to vary, depending on which shopping complex I am at. For example, at Polaris Fashion Center, I often buy fewer items at more expensive prices, but at Eastland Mall, I hunt for bargains and usually will purchase multiple items on sale. I have never taken notice to my personal shopping habits until reading "The Malling of America."
The Cheesecake Factory in Columbus
Polaris Fashion Place
Benihana in ColumbusAfter evaluating the differences in my moods at different shopping centers, I concluded that my disposition was influenced by the design and layout of the mall. Polaris Fashion Center offers the shopper a street of serenity. The walkways are adorned with beautiful plants, plush furniture, and large glass atriums that allow the sunrays to shine into the building. The shopper is swept away and whisked into the imagery and solitude of the surroundings, forgetting their worries for a brief moment, while mindlessly roaming the luxurious stores. When I compare Eastland mall's ambience to Polaris, it is like comparing a landfill to a field of colorful wildflowers. It's lack of appeal, fails to sweep the shopper away into a state of relaxation. It's aged décor results in a shopping pattern that encourages a shopper to become cheap and thrifty. The dark walkways offer...
Does it support the thesis?
This essay definitely reflects Kowinski's portrayal of the cool and dream-like air the mall exudes. It is interesting the way the author of this text describes each floor of the Polaris mall and the feeling it is supposed to send through the shoppers. Perhaps a little more attention should be paid to the mall's architecture and the way it differs from the "downtown" scene. In this litigious society, the mall must live up to their iconic status. It must feed the consumers hunger to spend. I find that the author should emphasize what other than the thriftiness makes us spend. This is an average essay but definitely contains an interesting and profound outlook on malls in the consumerist society and the way it impinges on our lives.
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