What We Lose When Malls Shut Down
What will replace brick-and-mortar stores?
Posted May 29, 2026 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods
As of the end of 2025, the nationwide mall vacancy rate was 112 percent higher than the overall average retail vacancy rate from the prior year. Analysts project that up to 87 percent of large shopping malls may close over the next ten years. As few as 900 malls may remain open by 2028, down from an estimated 25,000 malls in 1986.
Regardless of the precise numbers, the clear trend has been the decline of large shopping malls. The shift away from large malls has accompanied changes in shopping and purchasing habits. The trend toward online shopping began before, but surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Business and financial analysts will continue to study and project the economic impact of the transition away from brick-and-mortar shopping. But what have been the psychological and social impacts of the changes in the retail industry?
Changes in well-being have not been experienced by people of all ages. The American Psychological Association reports recent increases in stress and emotional disconnectedness among adults (18 years and older). Half or more of U.S. adults reported feeling isolated, left out, or lacking companionship. Loneliness is often accompanied by depression , anxiety disorders, and chronic health problems. Among youth (ages 10-24), suicide rates have increased by 62 percent from 2007 through 2021, and homicide rates surged upward with a 60 percent increase from 2014 through 2021.
Since we used to spend so much time in malls, parallel patterns between the closure of large malls and changes in social behaviors and well-being deserve thoughtful analysis. Fewer large shopping spaces have contributed to increases in spatial division and greater compartmentalization . Large malls have served as spaces that accommodated diverse groups of people coming and going, with no cost of admission, no commitment, no subscription fees, or membership requirements. In a typical mall on an ordinary day, one might observe a family with young children, an elderly man getting by with a walker, and a group of teens laughing and joking over snacks at the food court. In short, as gathering spaces, malls served multiple needs in addition to shopping.
The financial survival of malls depends, of course, upon retail profits. But malls facilitated a great deal more than showcasing and selling products. Imagine a teen trying on an outfit and asking their friend’s opinion. A brief exchange of words can represent and sustain a bond that can’t be duplicated by posting a pic on social media and looking for likes, comments, tags, or competing posts.
Harsh feedback is easier from the distance online posting provides. While typing a post, the author doesn’t see the facial reaction of the target of the post. Socialization is a function of interactions and observations of others and their interactions. From infancy through adolescence , malls can be a rich location for such opportunities.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, many children and teens spent their leisure and social time alone. Many reached out to social media for online interpersonal connection, but sadly, virtual reality is not a substitute for in-person social encounters. The human need to connect even (or especially) during dire circumstances was evident during the lockdowns. In many countries, professional musicians as well as laypeople performed from balconies and windows in impromptu efforts to nourish the human spirit by “coming together” in song in the face of the pandemic. Years before, on November 13, 2010, shoppers were completely surprised when over 100 participants unexpectedly rose and sang Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah in the food court of a shopping mall. Watching a video online of a spontaneous flash mob cannot capture the fullness of being part of such an unexpected collective experience.
A Community of Diversity
Imagine sitting on a bench in a large mall. You might see your neighbor, someone with a physical challenge, or someone dressed in their cultural fashion, walk by. You might hear laughing, conversation, a disagreement, or a language you don’t understand. As the United States became increasingly diverse ethnically and culturally, a large mall often became a microcosm of our rich, multifaceted community.
As a parent shops for clothes or toys for their child, the child experiences that rich environment as their exciting, comfortable, and “natural” world. It is as it should be—people of different ages, abilities, and appearances. Perhaps in other sectors of the child’s life, such as a place of worship or a sports club, the community is more homogenous. But a trip to the mall immerses one in the broader character of our society.
For Those with Challenges
Physical challenge can impair the ability to drive, walk, or move. Sensory impairment can impose limits on vision or hearing, and cognitive-emotional differences can affect speech and a variety of behaviors. Transformative events in a person’s life can be emotionally difficult. Retirement after a life-long career can leave an elder, especially one who lives alone, with the feeling of seemingly endless hours of nothing—no obligations, no expectations, nothing left to do. Aging can diminish the abilities to engage in activities a retiree had long looked forward to once retirement provided the time for them. While depression isn’t a normal part of aging, lifestyle changes can lead to older individuals spending more time alone and increase the risk for loneliness and depression. The CDC has reported that people ages 85 and older had the highest rates of suicide in 2023.
Our culture has developed valuable resources for those who live with different types of challenge. Many resources are provided in special living arrangements or in facilities in proscribed sessions with trained staff. The mall can offer a bridge to the wider social world. Somewhat contained, the mall can be a safe space for those for whom our current society can be overwhelming or difficult to navigate. The mall can be a stepping stone for someone regaining their life after a debilitating injury, life-changing illness, or traumatic experience.
A Buffer Against Isolation, Loneliness, and Depression
Loneliness has become increasingly more prevalent in our high-tech world of greater reliance on and time spent in virtual reality. Loneliness increases the risk for depression and other negative impacts on well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20.6 percent of adults in the U.S. will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime. In 2022, young adults (18-25) faced the highest rates of depression (18.6 percent), with females experiencing depression at more than double the rate of males (26.5 percent vs. 12.2 percent). While certainly not a cure for loneliness, visiting a mall can provide a break from solitude and provide opportunities to feel reconnected with others without a digital screen interface.
Walking through a mall can immerse one in memories of people and events dear to us. We remember the fragrance we bought for our mother on her birthday, the outfits we selected to celebrate special occasions or to go on vacation. When someone is feeling distanced and alone, a kind word or gesture, a smile or a brief conversation can remind them that they remain part of the human community. Small courtesies, a question or a compliment extended to another can remind us of the personal interactions that once gave life meaning . . . and still do.
As we lose malls for public gatherings, casual encounters, and togetherness, we should consider what will replace them. What structures and places will foster respect and affection for sharing space with others—friends, family, and others we don’t know and have never met? What will bring us together to recognize our desire and need to get along with one another within the full range of our similarities and differences? Malls were places to buy and sell stuff. But they were also so much more.
American Psychological Association. (2025). Stress in American 2025: A Crisis of connection.
Batcho, K. I., Jacobsen, M. H., & Wilson, J. L. (2023). Nostalgia and the corona pandemic: A tranquil feeling in a fearful world. In P. R. Ward & K. Foley (Eds.), The Emerald Handbook of the sociology of emotions for a post-pandemic world (Chapter 4, pp. 67-90). UK: Emerald Publishing Limited. Doi:10.1108/978-1-80382-323-220231004
Brewster, M. (2022). Annual retail trade survey shows impact of online shopping on retail sales during COVID-19 pandemic. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/04/ecommerce-sales-surged-during-pandemic.html
Capital One (2025). Mall closure statistics. https://capitaloneshopping.com/research/mall-closure-statistics/
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Pentreath, R. (2021). Christmas shoppers stunned as choir bursts into Handel ‘Halleluja’ Chorus in food court. Classic fM . https://www.classicfm.com/composers/handel/choir-christmas-food-court-flashmob/
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Krystine Batcho, Ph.D. , is a professor at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.