From Malls to Event Halls

Even before the “year that shall not be named” shut the world down, malls around the country (at least in my area) started losing their stores. Outdoor malls, online shopping, and economy fluctuations could be contributing factors to this phenomenon. There’s a decent-sized mall within walking distance from me that is empty except for one department store and a movie theater. You can’t even enter the mall portion anymore. Sad.

I remember when this mall opened. It was all shiny and new and packed with stores; it had a carousel and was open later than other malls. Back then, my daughter was little and never slept. I could walk her around and around and around the mall for hours. For a lot of my adult life, even as I watched store after store leave the mall, in the cold, snowy Chicago-style winter months, I could still get my exercise in by walking around and around that mall.

To entertain my mind and to pierce the monotony of the circular trips, I would envision what the structure could be if it became an event venue. I would dream as I strode that a rich investor bought the place and asked me what I’d like to see happen. Here’s just a glimpse of my daydreams:

The lower level would be the family-friendly floor and upstairs would be for those over 21. Each “store” section of the downstairs portion of the mall would be differently themed party rooms for birthdays and other kid-friendly gatherings. Rooms to please all ages decorated with dinosaurs, princesses, superheroes, cowboys, spa chairs, unicorns, astronauts, sports, and more. There could be a large playground in the middle and I would definitely bring back the carousel. We may even add the ice skating rink that was supposed to be installed before it closed, and reopen the mini-golf course for the party-goers.

I could even see spaces for people to host their family gatherings for those who have homes that are too small or for families with relational dynamics that make it awkward to go to someone’s house; families where it is better to gather at a neutral location. They could celebrate grandma’s 75th birthday, Johnny’s graduation, or Susie’s tournament win in a party room at the event venue.

Upstairs would contain rooms for bridal showers, baby showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, girls’ night out, sporting event watch parties, and other grown-up themed rooms. There could be rooms for seasonal and holiday office parties, although I can see bridal and baby showers truly taking up a huge portion of this space.

There would need to be a full staff of event planners to keep things running and of course catering, operations, security, production, audio/visual, and more if this were to be a full-service facility. Just think of the fun we could have.

So there you have it. The rambling dreams of an event planner who can’t help but occupy her down time planning for imaginary events. Do you know any rich investors?

Have you ever dreamed of an event venue? I’d love to hear about it! You can share it here or send me an email.

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