Photographer Seph Lawless had been traveling the country photographing a variety of “abandoned and broken” buildings for his book, Autopsy of America, when he came across two buildings from his past: Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio and Randall Park Mall in North Randall, Ohio.
[B]oth malls were now abandoned and slated for demolition, reflecting the decline of malls all across the country. [N]o new indoor mall has been built in America since 2006 and at least one expert predicts that half of all existing malls will close within the next 10 years.
Lawless saw this trend as a symbol of economic decline during the Great Recession, and decided to photograph both malls before they disappeared.
Photographer Steph Lawless via Slate.
One of Seph Lawless’ photographs shows a dangling pay telephone handset. While he may see “this trend as a symbol of economic decline during the Great Recession”, it may be more the symbol of changes in retailing and shopping habits. With online sales and quick at-home delivery, the community is less reliant upon local merchants. Technology has changed the way we shop just as it has changed our telephone usage. Giant retailers such as Wal-Mart and others have departments which have replaced the local retailer. While Lawless has focused upon malls, the same can be see in strip centers all across the country. The death of shopping is sad….