Good Riddance

     This shopping mall near Boston is dying a slow death. Customers are scarce. Several storefronts are locked.
     Malls are hurting elsewhere. Some have closed.
     Internet shopping is cited as a reason. So is the presence of big box stores—Walmarts and Targets—situated apart from other stores.
     Good riddance to malls.
     Shopping Malls are soulless. They’re mind numbingly similar to each other.
     I’m old enough to remember when downtowns were vibrant. Most stores were mom and pop owned. Patronizing local stores tied me into my community.
     Now, small stores are staging a comeback. They’re often boutique shops that specialize in their products or services. Many of them are located on Main Streets in towns. This development encourages me.
     It’s good for the soul to patronize a business with a soul.