"It might be this weird arrested development that makes me a bit romantic over the suburban chain store."

The End of the 00s: Chains of Fools, by Maura K. Johnston | The Awl

i was really, really sad to hear that the bath & body works in my hometown mall is now gone. i never shop at the stores in nyc, but it was the only decent place left in our small ohio mall. ponderosa left a long time ago (to be replaced by “mexican restaurant”, i shit you not) and kmart closed down a few years back. if the jc penney’s ever leaves, i don’t know what i’ll do.