PSA: I used to laugh at the food court crowd at my local mall, one conversation changed that

Laura Johnson · 2026-10-08T22:15:03.826426+00:00

I have been taking pics of the dying mall in my town for about a year now, mostly empty halls and the old Sears sign still hanging on. I always skipped the food court because it felt like the boring part of the story. Then last week I got talking to a guy named Ray who has run the Orange Julius counter there for 22 years. He told me 6 of the last 8 stores in that food court closed, but he stays open because a few retired regulars walk over every morning for a drink and to talk. I used to think the food court was the least interesting spot in a dead mall, now I think it is the best place to find out what actually happened there. Anyone else get a whole different view of a mall just from talking to one of the last people still working in it?

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PSA: I used to laugh at the food court crowd at my local mall, one conversation changed that | Dead Mall Pics - Opinions Matter