A puzzling little blog still looking for its voice, but sometimes gets lost and has trouble finding its way.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Missing the Mall
This past Saturday, I took the day off from work and took a little trip. You see, while growing up, my family never went on a big vacation. For too many reasons to mention, all we did was take these short one day shopping trips. This weekend was no exception. The destination was the Huntington Mall in West Virginia. We had been going there for decades, almost from when it first opened. That first trip, we almost turned around and went back home when we couldn't find the place. We ultimately asked for directions at a rest stop. Turns out that the 'Huntington Mall' is actually east of Barboursville. Who would have guessed? Until I was in college, we only went once a year. After I started driving, with my own car, we started going twice a year. One year, we even went three times. Most of those early visits, I focused on getting toys and comics. At its height, the mall had three toy stores, three book stores, and four music stores. I never went to some of them, and I rarely bought something at each one each visit. Now, there's only one of each, with BAM covering both books and music. It was only after I grew up that I started really enjoying looking for clothes, but it was always a mixed bag when looking there. With only so many stores that suit my tastes and the fact that I usually only went in the transitions between seasons, I rarely buy anything, especially when compared to my trips to Lexington. At least one trip, we didn't get a single thing ago the mall. This time around wasn't that bad, but it was close. I was looking for a few magazines that aren't common locally, but I only could find one. I got another two, but my heart was barely in it as I was for looking forward to the ones I couldn't find. I tried to look for clothes as well, as I can sometimes find something on sale that I wasn't expecting. However, even I wouldn't buy purple Levi's with pink buttons, even when they are exactly my size and on sale for sixteen dollars. I looked for so many specific things, but only wound up getting a few socks in a brand I can't find most places. The mall was so empty. Not only was Sears gone, but so many other store fronts were empty. One whole side of one wing was gone. Maybe a dozen or so spots left empty. So sad and disappointing. We stopped at a few of the outer buildings as well, but we would up spending less than three-and-a-half hours total there. We have never actually stopped in Huntington proper. It has only been ten years or so since I could get us to stop in Barboursville to do some grocery shopping. Sometimes these stores have products that no one local can compete with. In particular, the Krogers there usually had paczkis this time of year. It was a major reason for going in late February, as opposed to later when more spring fashion and Easter candy would be out. For those who aren't familiar with them, paczkis are basically a type of jelly doughnut originally from Poland served before Lent. The major difference between them and regular jelly doughnuts is the their dough is sweeter and made with eggs. The filling is sweeter as well. In past years, they had six or more flavors available. This year, only two- Bavarian cream and lemon. And in four packs instead of six. No blueberry. Sure, I can get blueberry jelly doughnuts locally, on occasion, but those were a step above anything I have tasted local. Not only had they cut back on flavors, but the entire bakery section had been cut back in part of a huge remodel that had also gotten rid of the magazine and book section. I least I couldn't find it, but I didn't look everywhere. I found a few unique items, but not all I was looking for. The ride home was uneventful. Unlike previous times, we didn't stop in Paintsville or Prestonsburg on the way home. The former because too many of the unique stores were no longer there, and the latter because I stop there so often now, there really wasn't a need to stop this time. What the worst thing was though, is that this might very well be the last time we ever go there. Sure, the mall might close if too many more stores leave, but that is not the reason. As I have mentioned, I am hoping to go to the University of Kentucky graduate school this fall. When that happens, I will be moving to Lexington full time. Many of the stores at the mall can be found in Lexington, or at least comparable ones. I know what some of them are or where they are located right now, but they are there. Why drive over almost three hours (maybe less based on the higher speed limit on the interstate) for something I can find in less than thirty minutes? Why, I could go on a weekly basis if I chose to. Such shopping trips have always been the hallmark of my memories, since they have been just about the only I went to outside of school. For what could be the last time, I will miss that mall and the many things I got there. All of the times I didn't get anything meaningful. The storms that threatened the trip. The quick stops both going and coming back where I could find a surprise or two that would be the best part of the trip. I know things aren't that important in the wider scheme of things, but that is mostly what I have. My limited experiences are filled with such times, and I wouldn't change them. I need to have a greater life, and this is the first steps to achieve it. Goodbye mall.
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