What was life like in shopping malls in the 1980s?

The photos he took capture life in these malls as it began to shift from the shiny excess of the 1980s towards an era of slackers and grunge culture. Once a mecca of American commerce, a gathering place for teenagers, and a nice place for an indoor stroll, the mall no longer holds the same place in our daily lives as it did in the 1970s and 1980s.

When did Michael Galinsky take pictures of malls?

But it’s hard to remember exactly how it used to look. Luckily for you, photographer Michael Galinsky was there to help you remember. He took a series of photos in 1989 of life in the malls across the country, and no matter where he was, there’s one thing for sure: it feels like home.

What was the first enclosed mall in the US?

In the early 1950s, shopping centers with plenty of parking for cars became the precursor for the modern enclosed mall. Here, Northwood in Baltimore includes a grocery store. The first enclosed mall, called Southdale Regional Shopping Center, opened in Minneapolis in 1956 so people could stay warm and dry while shopping.

Who was the photographer who photographed malls for the Americans?

Galinsky was inspired by photographers like Robert Frank, who traveled the country photographing people for his 1958 book The Americans (which is also published by the German publishing house Steidl). ” If Robert Frank was going to do The Americans now he’d probably shoot a lot of it in malls,” says Galinksy.

Where was Georgetown Park shopping mall in the 80s?

The focal point of Highsmith’s image of the Georgetown Park shopping mall in Washington, D.C., in the ’80s is the impressive fountain. In the days before cell phones, friends and family splitting up to get their shopping done would pick a location to meet back up.

What did people look like in the 80s?

In the 80s, the hairstyles sometimes looked like the food you were buying. Here we see a young woman hitting up the mall ice cream parlour, delicious-looking pictures of sundaes marking the wall behind her. Perhaps it’s her inability to make a decision that’s left her looking so pained.

Where was the first indoor mall in the US?

This image of the outdoor Gulfgate Shopping City in Houston, Texas, was taken in 1956, giving viewers a glimpse into the look and feel of an early shopping center. That same year, the Southdale Center, which is considered the first indoor mall in the United States, opened in Edina, Minnesota.