A not-so-fun fact: Outdoors, I almost always melt like butter when it’s hot and humid and the Sun is relentlessly glaring. This has been true for quite a few years, though I melt quicker now than ever before. None of this is surprising, because, as I’ve often noted on this publication’s pages, I’m old as hell and not improving with age.
Which brings us to Monday morning of last week. When I stepped out at 7:45 to retrieve the newspaper that had been tossed on my driveway (my wife and I subscribe to The Philadelphia Inquirer), I was stunned by the heat, the heaviness of the air, and also by the Sun’s intense brightness. Any thoughts that I might have had about doing yard work at some point during the day immediately disappeared. Man, we are in the middle of what has been a very tough summer here in southeast Pennsylvania, USA.
However, two and a half hours later, feeling restless, I decided to get out of the house. And being one who attempts to keep his cardiovascular system in proper running order, I wanted to exercise too, something I hadn’t done in two or three days. But where and how? Well, as had been the case many times before, I turned to a local resource: the three-level, air-conditioned shopping mall (Willow Grove Park) within walking distance of my home. I didn’t walk to it, of course, as succumbing to sunstroke and/or heat exhaustion wasn’t part of my plans for the day. So, I hopped, figuratively speaking, into my car and drove there. And spent the next 40 minutes moving my legs at a pretty good clip upon the gigantic structure’s floors.
I was in a bit of a blue mood when I arrived at the mall, thanks to a couple of personal worries simmering in the back of my mind. Figuring that a themed walk through the complex might raise my spirits, I came up with the idea to seek out (and photograph) those establishments whose business-name signs were illuminated in red. Though I think of red as the most eye-catching color for advertising purposes, there were fewer such signs than I expected. I counted nine, though maybe I missed one or two. Anyway, I grabbed pictures of the nine and have placed three of the photos within this story.
Here’s the thing: The themed trek did not lessen my blue mood. Actually, it upped it a little, largely because there weren’t a heck of a lot of shoppers in the mall. The lack of human vibrancy chilled the atmosphere and made me more aware than I would have been of the mall’s vacant spaces and of the several stores that, though fully stocked, had not opened for the day. Willow Grove Park once was a thriving place of business. But thriving hasn’t fit its description in a long while, certainly not since Covid descended upon Planet Earth in 2020. Is the mall doomed? It might be. I’ve read that its ownership group has had significant financial issues. What a potentially sad situation. If the mall goes under, hundreds of people will be out of work.
Let me be the first to say that, without a shadow of a doubt, the red-sign pics in this article are dull as f*cking dishwater. Meaning, it now is incumbent upon me to add something that’s red-related and also deliciously lively. What instantly comes to mind is one of my favorite songs by the insanely talented Prince Rogers Nelson, the guy known simply as Prince, who left us in 2016 at age 57. The world would be a better place were he still among the living. And so, I present to you Little Red Corvette, a magnificent rocker about a one-night stand. The recording (which Prince made with his band, The Revolution) came out in 1982 and in no time was shaking the world mightily. It is great.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
I’m in Vermont very close to Canada and the heat unbearable.
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Plus, you’re probably getting smoke from the many wildfires in Canada.
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Yes, it makes it hard to breathe– the air quality is so bad.
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Prince is definitely missed! This world is so different since covid!
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Hi. You don’t hear about covid too much anymore. But it’s still around. One of my neighbors got it last month. She recovered without many problems.
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Nice piece as always, Neil. I was feeling similarly blue about the whole economy of the western hemisphere recently, with particular reference to the slow death of the mall in my home town. Almost all the manufacturing and now the tech jobs have gone east. This is not a political point: it’s just how capitalism works. The people in the west with money still make money, but the ordinary joes lose out.
But then you gave me ‘Little Red Corvette’ in my head and my fuddled grasp of macroeconomics faded mercifully into the background. What a star he was!
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Hi, Andrew. Over the last few days I’ve listened to a couple of his albums I hadn’t heard before. Around The World In A Day is a real good one. Take care. Have a great weekend!
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I can relate to the searing heat. I am a cold climate girl stuck in the sub-tropics. Ice cubes can be your friend if you cannot sit in airconditioning.
I suffer headaches too in the summer here so it is important to keep up one’s fluids.
Yes I think many retail spaces are struggling since Covid. I have noticed a decline in Australia too.
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Hi, and many thanks for adding your thoughts. Drinking lots of fluids is essential! Take care.
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As always I love reading your pieces. The empty shops, the unemployment are problems everywhere. Don’t let it get you down. Keep listening to Prince; fantastic artist.
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Hi, Yvonne. I’ve listened to a couple of Prince albums recently. I’ll be listening to more of them over the next week or two.
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We’re currently in a heat wave up here—31 but feels like 38 with the humidity. Like having someone wrap you in a hot, wet blanket. Ugh.
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Definitely not my kind of weather!
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I miss heat with humidity-like on the coast of Alabama. I live in Colorado now, and it is just exhaustingly hot. I feel like Rango when he falls out of the family vehicle and the water evaporates away. I’m glad you got in a good walk at the mall. Ours isn’t that busy either. Enjoyed your post, and photos. Red is a good colour for signage. And I hope it cools off there soon!
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Hi. Thanks for stopping by. It’s plenty hot here in Greater Philadelphia, and it’s predicted to get hotter for at least the next week. Not my favorite weather!
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Our summer in Ann Arbor has also been challenging, in part due to wild fire smoke from Canada. We don’t have AC so had to suffer through days where he couldn’t even cool the house with open windows at night.
Our mall is in similar shape. I rarely go there but happened to go to Eddie Bauer with my husband only to learn they were soon closing for good. The mall was not renewing their lease. Walk-in retail is falling apart in the country but is bustling in France and Japan, two countries I’ve visited in the last couple years.
Thanks for the Prince reminder. Loved listening from my little black VW.
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Hi. I live near Philly. Smoke from Canada has reached my area too, but nowhere near as much as you’re experiencing. There are over 400 wildfires in Canada right now.
https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/report?_gl=1*cj1hh4*_ga*MTk4Mjk1NDcyMi4xNzU0NTM1Mzc2*_ga_C2N57Y7DX5*czE3NTQ5MDk4NDIkbzIkZzEkdDE3NTQ5MDk4NjgkajM0JGwwJGgw
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HI Neil! I think you’ve made a psychological, eye-catching discovery: since 2020, many mall businesses are now in the “RED”. 🤔 Happy camering!
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I like the way you think!
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I always liked that song. Our mall is pathetic….I don’t know why more people don’t want to shop in stores anymore, online shopping is such a hassle, all that returning….it’s sad.
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Hi Joni. I buy very little online. But I go to stores regularly, and the vast majority of them are supermarkets and other food stores. I enjoy food shopping!
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So do I…..but then I like eating! Just not cooking that much! I’m probably the only person in the country who doesn’t have an Amazon account?
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An interesting post. I must admit that walking through shopping malls often depletes me, though I can understand you heading for air conditioned respite in the heat. I enjoyed your red pics, what a great idea theming your walk!
Lots of businesses closed over here too, following the Covid plandemic, and so many of the small outback towns we’re visiting lately have so many shops boarded up . Sad to see. Anyhow, hope it’s cooled slightly and those personal worries have eased Neil. Great song choice by a great artist.
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Hi there. The Covid era was something else. Most people don’t think about it much anymore, but it was only a few years ago.
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Yes, it impacted so much.
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Ive heard about those “Mall” nature walks. Dangerous shit.
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Very dangerous! I keep my wits about me.
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I’m not a fan of extreme heat or malls. But I do like your posts. Covid is certainly still around, it’s just that people don’t mention it much anymore. Great song choice BTW.
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Hi. Little Red Corvette is pretty irresistible. I’m going to give it another listen right now!
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I’m not a fan of the heat and humidity either. I’ve been trying to go for a walk first thing in the morning or in the evening, but the timing doesn’t always work out, which means I don’t end up going for a walk. Good for you for becoming a mall walker and getting some exercise in! It does make you wonder whether the mall business model will change over time. Or maybe not. Our malls here are still incredibly busy on weekends.
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Hi. This summer I’ve been getting more exercise from yard work (pruning trees and bushes, mowing the lawn, etc.) than I have from walking. Which is good in a sense, because there’s never an end to yard work!
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Awesome post and good idea to do some mall walking. I haven’t been to a mall in over 10 years now. Back in the day my local malls were Moorestown and Cherry Hill. And I love Prince!
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Do you remember The Gallery? It was a mall in Center City. A few years ago it was re-done and given a new name — The Fashion District.
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Yes … I remember and shopped there too!
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I love the outdoors and never used to mind the heat, but this summer has been particularly oppressive, I agree. And don’t get me started on the bugs 😦 Stay cool!!
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Hi. I’m not a fan of bugs either. Especially mosquitoes, which are bad, bad news.
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I agree about the horror of summer heat- and thanks for the Prince video!
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I’m looking forward to autumn!
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An interest hot weather jaunt, Neil. I think if malls were to disappear, businesses would resort to solely dispersing themselves across every urban landscape. Not a bad retrograde.😁
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Hi there. Thanks for adding your thoughts. Who is this, by the way? — You’re listed as Anonymous.
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Neil, Mrs. B and I lived in Bucks County for about nine years or so when we first got married. Spent a lot of time (and money) at Willow Grove Mall. That being said, I think the last thing I bought there (before moving to Chester County) was a belt, so that wasn’t so expensive. The malls in the area are indeed in various stages of decline, and it is a sad thing to see. A couple of them are ghost towns from what I have read. Malls played a big part in our early years together, and if nothing else we have the memories of those fun times spent…with a whole bunch of people…especially on the weekends. Seemed like everyone headed for the malls come Friday night.
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Hi Bruce. I would hate to see the Willow Grove mall go out of business. That would pain me. I think it’s a pretty tough go for most stores these days, maybe excepting supermarkets. Online shopping is where the action is.
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