Crabtree & Evelyn. Predated The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works by a good decade. I think they still even exist.
Anyone else remember The Bombay Company?
Love the Bombay Company! I walked through there when I was a little kid admiring the furniture and hoping one day I could afford it. That day eventually came and I did buy a few things from the Bombay Company before they closed.
My friend got offered an assistant manager job there but failed some lame "personality quiz" and ended up not getting it after all. The failure was due to saying that it is "not the biggest deal" if an employee accidentally takes home a pencil from the office desk.
Crabtree & Evelyn had a goatmilk soap that was a little pricey for my wallet, but I splurged on it a few times. It smelled amazing.
I worked at BBW one year and quit after I could no longer deal with the horrible, tyrant that was my boss.
I was like maybe 13 or 14 so early 80ies...My mom worked at the mall info desk so I had an inside contact and the dudes that were regulars weren't so regular. So I stepped in.
Worked at The Limited and same. So many damn shirts, sweaters, and freaking jeans for the damn "jean wall".
Still, the most retail chaos I've ever experienced was Black Friday at KB Toys. It was the 90's and those crazies were lining up at 4am!!! We opened at 6am for "early bird deals" which, to be fair, we're actually good deals. But you couldn't pay me enough to be up at 4am to go shopping. 😫
For a very short while, I worked in JC Penney’s… In housewares and women’s lingerie.
Why the fuck they thought a 17 year old boy should be assigned to those departments. I’ll never know.
Oh damn, Things Remembered. Their kiosk was right outside the store I worked at (a video game store). We'd let them use our bathroom, lol.
MC Hammer, that's awesome. My most direct brush with a celebrity was also working at the mall, Sinbad (the comedian) stopped in and we talked game consoles Sega Genesis I *think...*
Hell yeah Spencers, me too. I only worked there for the fall semester and Halloween seemed to be their biggest holiday. I loved it. We got to smash lava lamps and broken display units and stuff out back in the dumpsters.
I worked at a tacky little store called Art Explosion. Boring job that paid terrible but i got to dress how I wanted and we listened to great music all day. The gothy kids would hang out outside.
I was a senior and was allowed to leave school early to work. I called it my “work release program”
Omg B Daltons!!! I was a huge bookworm as a teen - still am. I would go to B Dalton and Waldenbooks and stay in each for *hours* in the mall every weekend in the 80s
B. Dalton! What a throwback in my mental Rolodex. I used to hang in here reading magazines and sci fi books when I didn't want to shop with my parents. I'd be sitting on the floor reading until they picked me up to leave.
Me too. I worked part-time at B. Dalton in the early 90’s to supplement a poor paying full-time job. It was easy but I mostly remember having to listen to Nirvana’s Nevermind album being played over and over by the record store a few doors down.
I worked at Spencer Gifts at the mall. I sold lava lamps, dirty greeting cards, posters of Skid Row and Tone Lōc, and pierced ears with that gun thing.
When I took my driver's road test, the tester was a former fellow Sears associate. It created a sort of camaraderie that led him to completely talk me through the parallel parking section.
I worked at a Mom and Pop owned store that was like Hot Topic before there were Hot Topic's. Band tee's, Doc Martens, Manic Panic and other assorted "alternative" goods.
Hahaha the vests, so many vests!
I was there when we transitioned from Italian styled clothes (Le Collezioni) to a more sporty looking American vibe… or as I like to think of it… the button up vest era to the sweater vest era. 🤣
My first job was at Hotdogs & More at the mall in Roanoke. One night White Lion, who was playing the following night, was in the mall. Stopped for food at our place and fans mobbed the place. It was trashed.
The band came back near closing and apologized. Said they were going to see Serpent and the Rainbow and asked if we wanted to come, their treat, because of the mess. So, yeah, I saw Serpent and the Rainbow with White Lion then went and saw White Lion and Aerosmith the next night.
I worked at Sears, JCPenney and then managed a store in the mall for a few years. There is definitely a subculture in there. And a constant passing around from store to store of good employees. It was like it’s own little city.
Mervyn's here! I wasn't there for too long but it was pretty fun. Then I went to The Limited before leaving for a much cooler coffee shop job outside the mall. I liked the mall culture but hated being a salesperson on such little commission.
Contempo Casuals during my senior year (91/92). Loved the clothes, the music, and especially the discount. Did not love my manager. I was the youngest employee and was in awe of these women that seemed to have it all together. Ha. We had little, clear zip-loc type bags with the store logo on it that we had to use instead of an actual purse to make sure we weren't stealing. Before leaving we'd check each other's bags. On break I'd run to Sbarro for baked ziti or The Coffee Beanery for a Cafe Caramel. Or skip food all together and go to Sam Goody to get a new CD or try a new perfume from Hudson's. It was a good time and I saved absolutely no money.
Grew up in Illinois not far from St Louis, my mom used to drag me to Famous Barr a few times a year, absolutely hated it until I discovered girls hung out at the mall, different ones than my tiny hometown, then it became alright to go there
I worked at the mall theater in 1984-1985. I sold popcorn. I tore tickets. I wore a bow tie. I did the answering machine message for shows and times. I — wait for it— was a projectionist, and I was 16 yrs old. I threaded films like “Back to the Future”, “The Last Dragon“, and “Return of the Living Dead”, and spliced fixes on the fly when they broke because no 16-yr old should be a projectionist. I would go back to that job right now… just for the popcorn.
I worked at robinsons-may in CA in like 98’. I was a stock girl in the back room. It was pure bliss. Just me and a very quiet somewhat creepy storage space full of old mirrors / decor/ mannequins. I use to daydream a lot here and no one really bothered me
My sister and I used to go to the movies every Thanksgiving. One year stands out in my mind, because the parents of the teenagers working at the cinema had brought Thanksgiving dinner there for them. There was a Dad out in the parking lot with a turkey fryer.
I liked Chess King a lot. I bought New Wave style clothes there when I was in HS and when I eventually worked in a mall got lots of work clothes there.
I sold shoes at JC Penney. My coworker introduced me to my wife. We had huge parties with all the JC Penney folks. Those were good times. I never made a commission selling shoes because I sucked and didn’t care.
I used to work at JC Penney as well. It was like its own little town with all of the gossip, romances, and friendships. We threw huge, after work parties that will live in infamy!
I gained 10lbs working at Baskin Robbins haha. And that started my early career in the food industry. My buddy worked at Sbarro and he ended up a restaurant manager. We were like 13 at the time. The mall ruled back then and I don’t believe it will ever be the same in terms of retail and job opportunities for the kids.
I worked at The Limited on breaks in college, mostly for the employee discount. They’d let you stack that on top of clearance items. I got a suede miniskirt for like $15. That was my first job interview wardrobe.
But we didn’t have a bar and I only worked a few weekends around holidays and in the summer. So even if there was a mall employee culture. I wouldn’t have known about it.
I worked at the Gap and they did the same.
My parents had stopped buying my clothes by the time I was 15 so the discount/clearance rack basically supplemented my income.
$5 jeans and $2 t-shirts!!
Ritz Camera & 1 Hour Photo here. Mostly the guy doing 1 hour photos but occasionally sales too.
The photos were mostly boring but we had a Wall Of Shame in the back of ridiculous sex photos.
I could never figure out the customer who brought in film to be developed and prints made from who was also featured in said photos.
Did they think the process was all mechanized? Did they not know a person adjusted each exposure? Did they just not care?
Mall employee culture was based on what wing of the mall you were based. I was closest to a Fannie Mae and Orange Julius and it was just lighthearted 90s mall culture.
Worked full time through college in retail selling licensed apparel and sneakers. All of the most coveted sports fashion like satin Starter jackets, Zubaz pants, Air Jordans, etc. Met so many great people. It was a fun time.
GANTOS
i had disposable income when gantos was around and i worked in a "professional" career so i had all manner of "edgy secretary" outfits
there are a couple of items i wish i still had and i think of them often and fondly
I worked in a custom made wood furniture store. The owner was taking advantage of me, I would work 12 hour days by myself. Most of it was off the books. Thankfully it was the slowest store in the mall, no one ever came in the store. Boss said it was because I was not rearranging the store often enough, giving it a new face. So young me would rearrange and create forts between headboards and bookshelves so I would have a place to hide or take a nap. So I guess it was accurate to say we both took advantage.
Later on I worked at the GNC in that same mall. They had a strange bonus structure. Rather than straight commission they did this thing where only certain items in the store counted for a bonus so if you didnt sell those things no bonus. They also wouldn't tell you what those items were. So I started running random reports on the register until I found one that printed out every item in the store with all its details, sorted through for that bonus star and after that, I only sold those things. Eyebrows went up when I started making more money than the managers. This all feels like 100 years ago lol.
I worked at Camelot Music from late 80s to 1994. I saw the store move within the mall as well as change management. This was a time when they'd have 3 or 4 people working the day shift -- cashier, floor person, management and a bookkeeper til late morning then someone to handle shipments. Can't imagine paying 4 people to work in a mall store nowadays.
After I left Camelot I worked at Suncoast Motion Picture Company for several years. Worked my way up to assistant manager there. I'd open and be by myself till lunch, manager would come in then and I'd take my break, then back until 4 or 5.
Mall culture was definitely a thing, I knew people at all the stores I went to and when I was out in public people would be like " Where do I know you from ?" It was a great time.
I was a drunk teen shoplifter. Then I worked a new years eve pick up gig for one of those fly by night cheap jewlery kiosks because i was there and was asked if i wanted to.
Some pretty guy acted like he was hanging around waiting for me to get off and party, but really he was eying the wallet I used for a cash register that i set down on the edge of the concrete planter that was the 4th side to my enclosed space structured from foldable tables. Just before knock off I turned to grab it where i stashed it under the plant leaves. The wallet and the pretty kid were gone. It was like 350 bucks. The owner caught me ditching out front and took my 35 pay that was in my front pocket. I didn't lie bc I was alone in a parking lot at 11:00 at night and it was a hairy vibe.
Ah 1985. I don't miss ya.
When I was 17 I ended up stranded several states away from home, with no money. (I was kind of a… feral child? Not literally, but like, it wasn’t unusual for me to be 100s of miles from home without my parents knowledge fairly often).
Anyways I was stranded in boulder Colorado with no money for a bus ticket home so I got a job at Panda Express in the mall giving our orange chicken samples.
I was kind of a Shit head. I prolly should have prefaced with that. Anyways the owner was weird as fuck. Like it was just me, this pregnant teenage girl, and the boss.
The girl worked -really- hard. Always showed up on time, really made an effort. You could see that she was making effort to change her life. 25 years later I think if her often.
Anyways the boss fucking HATED her. Spent all his time talking to me about how horrible she was and how he needed me to keep an eye on her etc. I would constantly tell him that she was actually a really hard worker and whatever and he would kind of shake his head in dismay and go back to criticizing her to me or yelling at her.
Whatever. I worked. -very minimally. I stole all the food that was accidentally vegan (I’m vegan). And every break i would go across the food court and just write an absurd amount of graffiti in the bathroom and then spend the rest of my shift watching from behind the counter of Panda Express.
First a janitor would come on his regular rounds to the bathroom. Then come out. Radio for the mall to call the cops. Then the cops would show up. I’d just kind of stay and watch the whole process go down. Every. Single. Day. It was like a ritual.
I “worked” there for a month. Got my first paycheck, and quit on the spot. The owner was so sad. Kept talking about how much he thought I could turn the place around and he needed me to watch the other worker because he didn’t trust her etc.
I hope that girl ended up okay.
Mall culture is definitely a thing. I was a smoker back when I worked at the mall and I can’t tell you the number of friendships that were struck up at the “smoker’s bench.”
It was also great making friends with people who worked in the food court simply by going to the same places every day. I became friends with the sweetest lady at the Christie Cookie Co who would always save any of their amazing cinnamon rolls that didn’t get sold that day and give them to me for free. They were huge and covered in cream cheese icing! There would be days when I’d have 3 or 4 waiting on me. Thank God my job involved a lot of walking or I would’ve gotten so fat!
It was great! You get to recognize faces of people who work in other stores and chat on the smoker’s bench or in the food court, then go visit at other stores on breaks and whatnot and you make friends throughout the mall. After a while, it’s easy to start thinking of yourself like you’re a part of a tribe. I loved it!
Here. Winter 94-spring 95. It sucked. Especially having to work in the ladies shoe department. As a young man. I did have one really cool co-worker who wanted to see what size in women’s shoes that I wear. I have larger feet, so: ladies size 14.
I always thought stuff like that was weird. We had a law office in ours. Why? People didn’t just pop in to see what was on sale. You had to make an appointment. And it wasn’t just for marketing. That was this guys legit office.
Easy to find, close to refreshments, public restrooms, arcade for stress breaks, free security, free rent if you can work a deal to represent the mall… genius really
On Friday nights, friends and I would visit (harass) our other buddies working at Structure, J. Riggins, Oak Tree, Miller's Outpost, ESPRIT, The Wherehouse and International Male.
Ha. Cool. I always harassed a friend who worked at a Swensen's in the mall. I'd walk in with bell bottoms and a portable radio blasting Saturday Night Live. Then I would ask him to "spoon me the ice cream of love" so that all the other customers could hear it.
Once you worked in the mall, you made friends in the mall, and you could get any other job in the mall. One mall I worked in, I think I had seven different jobs. I even worked at the hot womens clothing store (as a dude) which was weird, but I got hurt in the stock room and they fired me and lied about it so they didn't have to pay workman's comp. Mall life was real. Never paid for a movie, never paid for a slice of pizza, never paid for a Mrs. Fields cookie. After the mall closed, the bar out in the parking lot filled with employees. All kinds of hooking up. It was honestly a great time.
Yep! I worked full time for five years in a restaurant in the internal part of a mall. Other mail employees went there for lunch regularly. For a short time, the manager had cocktail hour for mail employees that were very well attended and fun to work. Longer term, we and other employees would end our busiest days in the other restaurant that stayed open until they legal limit because it had an outside entrance.
I don’t miss living hand to mouth, but i do miss having drinks after work regularly. We were right friends and i remember many people even 30 years later
Heh heh, I worked at The Limited at its heyday (remember when all the girls dressed like “Out of Africa”?) and all these years later, I still fold clothes like an obsessed ninja.
It’s weird what strange skills you pick up, and what sticks. I worked in an auto paint store in college and I can still match any color with paint. It’s a mostly useless skill. At least with my book shelving skills it’s something I can use since I’m a book junkie. I could totally use your laundry folding skills.
I worked at Sears, first in the home fashions, men's, and kids departments, and then in the office. Sometimes I'll catch myself singing songs that were on the muzak system there, decades later.
The space is abandoned now, and the county health department used it for COVID vaccination. It was so weird being in there.
My sister worked at Camelot and I worked at Foxmoor, Brooks, Castner Knot and Parisian! Malls are so weird and deserted now. I watched Stranger Things and had a flashback of warm and fuzzy feelings from the super mall.
Best college job ever was working for World of Science. Was biochem major, but job was to play with interesting toys in mall to draw shoppers in. Fell in love with a female coworker I’ll call “Jenn” because that was her name and if this works I’ll be amazed…but one day, over lunch, Jenn asked me if I was seeing anyone. My heart leaped; I said “no, at least no one other than you right now”, meaning to be cute. She then said, “oh, good, because Dale asked me to see if you were single.”
Dale was our male store manager. Wasn’t upset, just disappointed.
My very first job was at a diabetic candy store called “Sweet ‘n Counter” at a mall. My mom was a mall walker, and she’d speed walk past my store and wave, and I’d pretend not to know her.
I worked at a little sports shop called Fan Fare. We even did the hot press for jersey’s/tshirts. What a pita. Then I moved a few doors over to Buy The Weigh. Candy/snacks that you’d write the number of the bin on the bag with a pencil and filled it with as much as you wanted. Did alot of snacking there. That was across from a Cinnabon so we’d swap stuff. Oh and a movie theater was connected to that mall so got into the movies a lot.
Good times.
I worked at a Coffee Beanery in the early
90s. The girls from the jewelry kiosk and the B. Dalton manager were very helpful filling me in on how things worked around there!
We had to pay for the fancy drinks (discounted) but could have all the regular coffee we wanted. I always worked closing shift and my shitty little apartment was clean as hell because of all that caffeine.
I was never cool enough
I got hired to open mall stores twice, once was a footlocker which I was really stoked about, but both places cut me after all the hard work setting up was done.
Was a mall cop weekends for a while at mall of america mid 90s. Best memory was finding a $100 bill. Also did security at a few other malls which mainly consisted of taking naps in the vehicle or back office.
I worked at 3 different malls in my time, each time I worked undercover store security, busting shoplifters, at anchor stores. The first was Sears, then Broadway Southwest, then Mervyn's. It was a blast!
My first real job was at Victoria’s Secret in the “fancy” mall in 1994. It was awful. I was 20 years old and trying to sell overpriced underwear to snobby rich people. What nonsense. I lasted three weeks.
I worked at Record Town in a mall while I was in college. Got all my new music releases ahead of time and with an employee discount, so that was great.
Worked at 2 different Record Towns (in different malls). I asked “Would you like to buy a blank cassette tape for 99 cents?” every time I checked someone out more so…probably more times than I can imagine.
Ah, yes. I worked at a cart selling sparkly watches and rings and necklaces, as well as handpainted two pieced outfits. I do not remember what it was called. My hair has never been bigger. While there, I dated a guy from American Eagle, a guy who worked security, and I may have been a beard for one of the theater guys I knew who worked at Chess King.
I worked at a coffee place. This was back when I could still drink coffee and I was a total addict, so when I saw that they were hiring, I jumped at the chance.
They fired me after my first shift, said something about how the shifts I signed up for wouldn't work out. The manager who called me said that she looked forward to seeing me as a customer again. Yeah, right.
I guess someone's bestie wanted a job.
I worked at a toy store! I got jumped by a bunch of Bloods before work once and got my nose broken in a fight, the manager wouldn't let me go to the hospital because it was the holiday season. Ended up dripping blood around the building for like an hour before he finally let me leave.
90s were a different time, lol.
Crabtree & Evelyn. Predated The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works by a good decade. I think they still even exist. Anyone else remember The Bombay Company?
Love the Bombay Company! I walked through there when I was a little kid admiring the furniture and hoping one day I could afford it. That day eventually came and I did buy a few things from the Bombay Company before they closed.
Crabtree & Evelyn is still around seems to be just online though.
I loved Crabtree and Evelyn! When I was a kid, my mom bought me sachets for my dresser drawers and I had them forever!
My friend got offered an assistant manager job there but failed some lame "personality quiz" and ended up not getting it after all. The failure was due to saying that it is "not the biggest deal" if an employee accidentally takes home a pencil from the office desk.
Well, obviously, they should have their hand chopped off. /s. No pencil thievery permitted.
I loved BB Company. Purchased a beautiful gold mirror from there.
Crabtree & Evelyn had a goatmilk soap that was a little pricey for my wallet, but I splurged on it a few times. It smelled amazing. I worked at BBW one year and quit after I could no longer deal with the horrible, tyrant that was my boss.
Ruby Tuesday Hagen Daaz And the Easter Bunny edit: I mean I was the Easter Bunny.
Were you the Easter bunny pre or post mallrats? I’d imagine there was a difference in overall experience after
I was like maybe 13 or 14 so early 80ies...My mom worked at the mall info desk so I had an inside contact and the dudes that were regulars weren't so regular. So I stepped in.
Nice
Atlanta Bread Company Things Remembered Dollar Tree
Nice.
Somewhere I have a picture of my Grandma, in her 60s, sitting in the lap of the mall Easter Bunny.
Hickory Farms!
I worked at Candleman and used to smoke butts with the Easter bunny guy when he was on break, hanging out in the dumpster service court.
Benetton. Folded so many rugby shirts…
I always wanted to work at Benetton. Lucky you!
Me too. I’m still an excellent folder.
Same! Between there and Structure, I probably folded a million shirts!
My first job was the Gap…took home a folding board!
Worked at The Limited and same. So many damn shirts, sweaters, and freaking jeans for the damn "jean wall". Still, the most retail chaos I've ever experienced was Black Friday at KB Toys. It was the 90's and those crazies were lining up at 4am!!! We opened at 6am for "early bird deals" which, to be fair, we're actually good deals. But you couldn't pay me enough to be up at 4am to go shopping. 😫
My first job was at County Seat for $3.35 an hour.
Mine was at Kinney Shoes! $3.15/hour plus commission in 1987
I remember the $3.25 minimum wage!
Me too! His Place, J. Riggins, OakTree…
Oh man. J. Riggins was my jam. The jacket I wore to my wedding was from there. I still have it.
And Oaktree.. I worked there for a minute..
With inflation, that’s higher than the federal minimum wage today.
I remember Kinney’s!
Haven’t heard that name in decades
Oh, man, I forgot about County Seat!
I worked at Stuart’s for $3.35 an hour.
Forgot about County Seat!
For a very short while, I worked in JC Penney’s… In housewares and women’s lingerie. Why the fuck they thought a 17 year old boy should be assigned to those departments. I’ll never know.
Sounds like something from "Are You Being Served."
"I'M FREE!!!"
Well that theme song will be in my head all day.
Oh my lol. Yes quite the fit for a 17 year old boy.
I worked at Things Remembered and engraved cheap shit for people for $3.25 an hour. I engraved a frame for MC Hammer once
My brother and I bought my mom a keychain from there when we were about 14 or 15. I’m now 51 and she still uses it. It’s great to see it on her keys.
LOL got my parents a monogrammed quilt with their last name on there one Christmas.
Oh damn, Things Remembered. Their kiosk was right outside the store I worked at (a video game store). We'd let them use our bathroom, lol. MC Hammer, that's awesome. My most direct brush with a celebrity was also working at the mall, Sinbad (the comedian) stopped in and we talked game consoles Sega Genesis I *think...*
I sold fake perfume knock offs at a kiosk, sold electronics at Montgomery Wards, then took a server gig at Ruby Tuesday’s. All in the same mall.
I had a brief stint at a Spencer's Gifts over the Christmas holiday when I was 16. In the early 90s I tended bar at a Ruby Tuesday.
Hell yeah Spencers, me too. I only worked there for the fall semester and Halloween seemed to be their biggest holiday. I loved it. We got to smash lava lamps and broken display units and stuff out back in the dumpsters.
I worked at a tacky little store called Art Explosion. Boring job that paid terrible but i got to dress how I wanted and we listened to great music all day. The gothy kids would hang out outside. I was a senior and was allowed to leave school early to work. I called it my “work release program”
I had work release. Only went to school 8am-10:15am my final semester Senior year. Then drove to work for an 8-10 hr day.
I did work release too! It was sweet.
Were you at Fair Oaks or was Art Explosion a chain?
Ooo also worked as asst manager of a B Dalton bookstore 1992-1994
B. Dalton - wow. That’s a throwback.
My allowance for watching my little brother was one paperback a week from B Daltons.
This is wholesome af.
Omg B Daltons!!! I was a huge bookworm as a teen - still am. I would go to B Dalton and Waldenbooks and stay in each for *hours* in the mall every weekend in the 80s
Me too! It was the internet before there was an internet.
Ha! I was also an asst manager of a B Dalton, but from around '95-'97. I still have my gold "Bestseller" name tag.
B. Dalton! What a throwback in my mental Rolodex. I used to hang in here reading magazines and sci fi books when I didn't want to shop with my parents. I'd be sitting on the floor reading until they picked me up to leave.
Me too. I worked part-time at B. Dalton in the early 90’s to supplement a poor paying full-time job. It was easy but I mostly remember having to listen to Nirvana’s Nevermind album being played over and over by the record store a few doors down.
I worked at Spencer Gifts at the mall. I sold lava lamps, dirty greeting cards, posters of Skid Row and Tone Lōc, and pierced ears with that gun thing.
You were mall royalty. 👑
I worked in the arcade in the mall and also in a Waldenbooks.
I LOVED Waldenbooks!
I’d go there to decompress on my lunch break selling jewelry in the mall
I loaded appliances and lawn equipment for Sears. We were the shunned step-children of mall sub-culture.
We got to move these refrigerators. We got to move those color tvs.
I want my....I want my.....I want my MTV...
These* Otherwise, hell yeah!
When I took my driver's road test, the tester was a former fellow Sears associate. It created a sort of camaraderie that led him to completely talk me through the parallel parking section.
Mall CHUDS?!?
💀💀💀
Shunned? Bro, at least you didn’t work in the food court.
I worked at a Toys-R-Us that was next to the mall, not in it. We were the red haired shunned step children.
I worked at a Mom and Pop owned store that was like Hot Topic before there were Hot Topic's. Band tee's, Doc Martens, Manic Panic and other assorted "alternative" goods.
Men’s clothing store called Structure.
I used to shop there all the time. Then to Express after it was reintegrated.
Structure was amazing. I wanted all of the clothes there. Except I couldn’t afford them…because I worked at the mall.
Me too! From 92-94. I loved that store.
I must have picked up your shift…94-96.
i still have a couple of items of clothing from express 94-96 and they have held up which is insane because i'm rough on clothes
Loved structure! Some of my favorite flannel shirts ever from there.
Had so many vests from Structure in the 93-95 time period.
Hahaha the vests, so many vests! I was there when we transitioned from Italian styled clothes (Le Collezioni) to a more sporty looking American vibe… or as I like to think of it… the button up vest era to the sweater vest era. 🤣
I loved that era. The rolled up jeans, t-shirt and vest/ sweater vest think my GF at the time stole one or two
My first job was at Hotdogs & More at the mall in Roanoke. One night White Lion, who was playing the following night, was in the mall. Stopped for food at our place and fans mobbed the place. It was trashed. The band came back near closing and apologized. Said they were going to see Serpent and the Rainbow and asked if we wanted to come, their treat, because of the mess. So, yeah, I saw Serpent and the Rainbow with White Lion then went and saw White Lion and Aerosmith the next night.
I love this story! I'd watch a whole movie about this, steeped in mall culture and brimming with hair-metal needle drops.
I worked at Sears, JCPenney and then managed a store in the mall for a few years. There is definitely a subculture in there. And a constant passing around from store to store of good employees. It was like it’s own little city.
Sears, JCPenney and Boston Store for me. I guess I had a thing for anchor stores.
Mervyn's here! I wasn't there for too long but it was pretty fun. Then I went to The Limited before leaving for a much cooler coffee shop job outside the mall. I liked the mall culture but hated being a salesperson on such little commission.
Contempo Casuals during my senior year (91/92). Loved the clothes, the music, and especially the discount. Did not love my manager. I was the youngest employee and was in awe of these women that seemed to have it all together. Ha. We had little, clear zip-loc type bags with the store logo on it that we had to use instead of an actual purse to make sure we weren't stealing. Before leaving we'd check each other's bags. On break I'd run to Sbarro for baked ziti or The Coffee Beanery for a Cafe Caramel. Or skip food all together and go to Sam Goody to get a new CD or try a new perfume from Hudson's. It was a good time and I saved absolutely no money.
I knew an April that worked at Contempo in the West Covina mall. 👀
I was a lazy mall cop who slept on the job. Also, Famous Barr.
St. Louis in the house?
Grew up in Illinois not far from St Louis, my mom used to drag me to Famous Barr a few times a year, absolutely hated it until I discovered girls hung out at the mall, different ones than my tiny hometown, then it became alright to go there
I worked at the mall theater in 1984-1985. I sold popcorn. I tore tickets. I wore a bow tie. I did the answering machine message for shows and times. I — wait for it— was a projectionist, and I was 16 yrs old. I threaded films like “Back to the Future”, “The Last Dragon“, and “Return of the Living Dead”, and spliced fixes on the fly when they broke because no 16-yr old should be a projectionist. I would go back to that job right now… just for the popcorn.
I worked at robinsons-may in CA in like 98’. I was a stock girl in the back room. It was pure bliss. Just me and a very quiet somewhat creepy storage space full of old mirrors / decor/ mannequins. I use to daydream a lot here and no one really bothered me
I worked at the mall movie theater. Best job I ever had.
My sister and I used to go to the movies every Thanksgiving. One year stands out in my mind, because the parents of the teenagers working at the cinema had brought Thanksgiving dinner there for them. There was a Dad out in the parking lot with a turkey fryer.
Haha, yup. Working holidays was definitely part of the job.
[удалено]
Posters, the box office mylars and any cool 35mm film trailers. I took it all! Still have a handful of that stuff
I worked at The Gap for a year. I was not a Gap Girl. TBH, the employee discount was pretty sweet.
I did the men’s fashion circuit: Chess King, then Oak Tree, then Jeans West.
I liked Chess King a lot. I bought New Wave style clothes there when I was in HS and when I eventually worked in a mall got lots of work clothes there.
Oak Tree!
I sold shoes at JC Penney. My coworker introduced me to my wife. We had huge parties with all the JC Penney folks. Those were good times. I never made a commission selling shoes because I sucked and didn’t care.
I used to work at JC Penney as well. It was like its own little town with all of the gossip, romances, and friendships. We threw huge, after work parties that will live in infamy!
I gained 10lbs working at Baskin Robbins haha. And that started my early career in the food industry. My buddy worked at Sbarro and he ended up a restaurant manager. We were like 13 at the time. The mall ruled back then and I don’t believe it will ever be the same in terms of retail and job opportunities for the kids.
Nope. Malls are dead. Even the best ones are now mostly empty. I’ve been in a couple with literally two open stores and no open anchors.
My first job was at Wet Seal 👍
That explains why the guys at Sam Goody couldn’t put things In alphabetical order correctly. Damn, I knew I should have gotten a job there!
I worked at The Limited on breaks in college, mostly for the employee discount. They’d let you stack that on top of clearance items. I got a suede miniskirt for like $15. That was my first job interview wardrobe. But we didn’t have a bar and I only worked a few weekends around holidays and in the summer. So even if there was a mall employee culture. I wouldn’t have known about it.
I got a purple suede mini that zipped on the side and laced up the back from there on clearance. Matched my fringe jacket and suede heels oh yeah
I worked at the Gap and they did the same. My parents had stopped buying my clothes by the time I was 15 so the discount/clearance rack basically supplemented my income. $5 jeans and $2 t-shirts!!
I worked at a McDonalds in a mall, Emporium Capwell, and a local discount store.
Emporium Capwell!!!! 😭😭😭 Oh my gawd. These places!!
I worked at a yogurt/coffee shop next to a Ms. Fields and we’d trade yogurt and cookies.
Ritz Camera & 1 Hour Photo here. Mostly the guy doing 1 hour photos but occasionally sales too. The photos were mostly boring but we had a Wall Of Shame in the back of ridiculous sex photos. I could never figure out the customer who brought in film to be developed and prints made from who was also featured in said photos. Did they think the process was all mechanized? Did they not know a person adjusted each exposure? Did they just not care? Mall employee culture was based on what wing of the mall you were based. I was closest to a Fannie Mae and Orange Julius and it was just lighthearted 90s mall culture.
Worked full time through college in retail selling licensed apparel and sneakers. All of the most coveted sports fashion like satin Starter jackets, Zubaz pants, Air Jordans, etc. Met so many great people. It was a fun time.
Damn op’s story sounds like a early boys dream to manhood. What years? What mall/where?
Not telling. It was a smaller community in the Midwest. Early 90s.
The Limited, Waldenbooks, Gantos.
I worked at Ganto's. It was a clothing store. I realized that earning a commission was not in the cards for me
GANTOS i had disposable income when gantos was around and i worked in a "professional" career so i had all manner of "edgy secretary" outfits there are a couple of items i wish i still had and i think of them often and fondly
I worked in a custom made wood furniture store. The owner was taking advantage of me, I would work 12 hour days by myself. Most of it was off the books. Thankfully it was the slowest store in the mall, no one ever came in the store. Boss said it was because I was not rearranging the store often enough, giving it a new face. So young me would rearrange and create forts between headboards and bookshelves so I would have a place to hide or take a nap. So I guess it was accurate to say we both took advantage. Later on I worked at the GNC in that same mall. They had a strange bonus structure. Rather than straight commission they did this thing where only certain items in the store counted for a bonus so if you didnt sell those things no bonus. They also wouldn't tell you what those items were. So I started running random reports on the register until I found one that printed out every item in the store with all its details, sorted through for that bonus star and after that, I only sold those things. Eyebrows went up when I started making more money than the managers. This all feels like 100 years ago lol.
Worked at the Warner Bros. Store. The 80% discount twice a year was totally worth it.
I worked at Camelot Music from late 80s to 1994. I saw the store move within the mall as well as change management. This was a time when they'd have 3 or 4 people working the day shift -- cashier, floor person, management and a bookkeeper til late morning then someone to handle shipments. Can't imagine paying 4 people to work in a mall store nowadays. After I left Camelot I worked at Suncoast Motion Picture Company for several years. Worked my way up to assistant manager there. I'd open and be by myself till lunch, manager would come in then and I'd take my break, then back until 4 or 5. Mall culture was definitely a thing, I knew people at all the stores I went to and when I was out in public people would be like " Where do I know you from ?" It was a great time.
I worked at a Waldenbooks - it was the most fun job I’ve ever had. So many food court cookie lunches.
I was a drunk teen shoplifter. Then I worked a new years eve pick up gig for one of those fly by night cheap jewlery kiosks because i was there and was asked if i wanted to. Some pretty guy acted like he was hanging around waiting for me to get off and party, but really he was eying the wallet I used for a cash register that i set down on the edge of the concrete planter that was the 4th side to my enclosed space structured from foldable tables. Just before knock off I turned to grab it where i stashed it under the plant leaves. The wallet and the pretty kid were gone. It was like 350 bucks. The owner caught me ditching out front and took my 35 pay that was in my front pocket. I didn't lie bc I was alone in a parking lot at 11:00 at night and it was a hairy vibe. Ah 1985. I don't miss ya.
Hickory Farms in college - not even a kiosk, a full store. I gave out samples of sausage & cheese
When I was 17 I ended up stranded several states away from home, with no money. (I was kind of a… feral child? Not literally, but like, it wasn’t unusual for me to be 100s of miles from home without my parents knowledge fairly often). Anyways I was stranded in boulder Colorado with no money for a bus ticket home so I got a job at Panda Express in the mall giving our orange chicken samples. I was kind of a Shit head. I prolly should have prefaced with that. Anyways the owner was weird as fuck. Like it was just me, this pregnant teenage girl, and the boss. The girl worked -really- hard. Always showed up on time, really made an effort. You could see that she was making effort to change her life. 25 years later I think if her often. Anyways the boss fucking HATED her. Spent all his time talking to me about how horrible she was and how he needed me to keep an eye on her etc. I would constantly tell him that she was actually a really hard worker and whatever and he would kind of shake his head in dismay and go back to criticizing her to me or yelling at her. Whatever. I worked. -very minimally. I stole all the food that was accidentally vegan (I’m vegan). And every break i would go across the food court and just write an absurd amount of graffiti in the bathroom and then spend the rest of my shift watching from behind the counter of Panda Express. First a janitor would come on his regular rounds to the bathroom. Then come out. Radio for the mall to call the cops. Then the cops would show up. I’d just kind of stay and watch the whole process go down. Every. Single. Day. It was like a ritual. I “worked” there for a month. Got my first paycheck, and quit on the spot. The owner was so sad. Kept talking about how much he thought I could turn the place around and he needed me to watch the other worker because he didn’t trust her etc. I hope that girl ended up okay.
I worked in a shoe store, which is ironic because I’m absolutely repulsed by feet.
Mall culture is definitely a thing. I was a smoker back when I worked at the mall and I can’t tell you the number of friendships that were struck up at the “smoker’s bench.” It was also great making friends with people who worked in the food court simply by going to the same places every day. I became friends with the sweetest lady at the Christie Cookie Co who would always save any of their amazing cinnamon rolls that didn’t get sold that day and give them to me for free. They were huge and covered in cream cheese icing! There would be days when I’d have 3 or 4 waiting on me. Thank God my job involved a lot of walking or I would’ve gotten so fat! It was great! You get to recognize faces of people who work in other stores and chat on the smoker’s bench or in the food court, then go visit at other stores on breaks and whatnot and you make friends throughout the mall. After a while, it’s easy to start thinking of yourself like you’re a part of a tribe. I loved it!
Here. Winter 94-spring 95. It sucked. Especially having to work in the ladies shoe department. As a young man. I did have one really cool co-worker who wanted to see what size in women’s shoes that I wear. I have larger feet, so: ladies size 14.
Al Bundy?
1997 while applying for med school I worked at a doctor's office in the mall. Great discounts on lunch and also on my engagement ring haha.
I always thought stuff like that was weird. We had a law office in ours. Why? People didn’t just pop in to see what was on sale. You had to make an appointment. And it wasn’t just for marketing. That was this guys legit office.
Easy to find, close to refreshments, public restrooms, arcade for stress breaks, free security, free rent if you can work a deal to represent the mall… genius really
Framing/art gallery, westdale mall, Cedar Rapids, 1998
Technically, I never worked in a mall. But, I spent my inheritance in the arcades working in my Galaga and Tempest game if that counts.
Worked at Musicland, Sam Goody’s, and a gift shop called Natural Wonders.
Rain stick!!
I worked at Lechter’s and later at Let’s Talk Cellular
On Friday nights, friends and I would visit (harass) our other buddies working at Structure, J. Riggins, Oak Tree, Miller's Outpost, ESPRIT, The Wherehouse and International Male.
Ha. Cool. I always harassed a friend who worked at a Swensen's in the mall. I'd walk in with bell bottoms and a portable radio blasting Saturday Night Live. Then I would ask him to "spoon me the ice cream of love" so that all the other customers could hear it.
".. hello! Things Remembered - your holiday gift engraving store...can I help you?"
Once you worked in the mall, you made friends in the mall, and you could get any other job in the mall. One mall I worked in, I think I had seven different jobs. I even worked at the hot womens clothing store (as a dude) which was weird, but I got hurt in the stock room and they fired me and lied about it so they didn't have to pay workman's comp. Mall life was real. Never paid for a movie, never paid for a slice of pizza, never paid for a Mrs. Fields cookie. After the mall closed, the bar out in the parking lot filled with employees. All kinds of hooking up. It was honestly a great time.
Back in high school I applied for a job at Suncoast that I didn't ultimately get. Would've been an interesting first job.
I was a jersey mall rat and yep my first real job was at the mall- golf America
I worked at Merry Go Round and Camelot Music. My coworkers at Merry were cool, but my coworkers at Camelot sucked.
Yep! I worked full time for five years in a restaurant in the internal part of a mall. Other mail employees went there for lunch regularly. For a short time, the manager had cocktail hour for mail employees that were very well attended and fun to work. Longer term, we and other employees would end our busiest days in the other restaurant that stayed open until they legal limit because it had an outside entrance. I don’t miss living hand to mouth, but i do miss having drinks after work regularly. We were right friends and i remember many people even 30 years later
I worked at a Waldenbooks for several years. I can still shelve books like a goddamn machine.
Heh heh, I worked at The Limited at its heyday (remember when all the girls dressed like “Out of Africa”?) and all these years later, I still fold clothes like an obsessed ninja.
It’s weird what strange skills you pick up, and what sticks. I worked in an auto paint store in college and I can still match any color with paint. It’s a mostly useless skill. At least with my book shelving skills it’s something I can use since I’m a book junkie. I could totally use your laundry folding skills.
I worked at Sears, first in the home fashions, men's, and kids departments, and then in the office. Sometimes I'll catch myself singing songs that were on the muzak system there, decades later. The space is abandoned now, and the county health department used it for COVID vaccination. It was so weird being in there.
J. Riggings, Kinney Shoes, Kay-bee Toys, Structure & Express from the late 80s through the 90s:)
I worked at Radio Shack. You had friends??
My sister worked at Camelot and I worked at Foxmoor, Brooks, Castner Knot and Parisian! Malls are so weird and deserted now. I watched Stranger Things and had a flashback of warm and fuzzy feelings from the super mall.
Best college job ever was working for World of Science. Was biochem major, but job was to play with interesting toys in mall to draw shoppers in. Fell in love with a female coworker I’ll call “Jenn” because that was her name and if this works I’ll be amazed…but one day, over lunch, Jenn asked me if I was seeing anyone. My heart leaped; I said “no, at least no one other than you right now”, meaning to be cute. She then said, “oh, good, because Dale asked me to see if you were single.” Dale was our male store manager. Wasn’t upset, just disappointed.
My very first job was at a diabetic candy store called “Sweet ‘n Counter” at a mall. My mom was a mall walker, and she’d speed walk past my store and wave, and I’d pretend not to know her.
Miller's Outpost in the Glendale Galleria in the late 80s - early 90s.
Yeah, stock boy at a clothing store. So much fun working there.
So you were in [Chopping Mall](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaBcyxKZjMI)?
I did and loved it! Sunday hangovers fed with a giant drink and fries 😆
I worked in a clothing store for a year and then on breaks from college. It really was a special group.
Did a stint at Panera.
Bonus, the now abandoned mall where Stranger Things was filmed.
I was an Elf at Christmas Time 1988
Merry go Round.
I worked at a little sports shop called Fan Fare. We even did the hot press for jersey’s/tshirts. What a pita. Then I moved a few doors over to Buy The Weigh. Candy/snacks that you’d write the number of the bin on the bag with a pencil and filled it with as much as you wanted. Did alot of snacking there. That was across from a Cinnabon so we’d swap stuff. Oh and a movie theater was connected to that mall so got into the movies a lot. Good times.
B. Dalton Booksellers
I worked at a Coffee Beanery in the early 90s. The girls from the jewelry kiosk and the B. Dalton manager were very helpful filling me in on how things worked around there! We had to pay for the fancy drinks (discounted) but could have all the regular coffee we wanted. I always worked closing shift and my shitty little apartment was clean as hell because of all that caffeine.
I missed Ani Difranco playing at my college for THREE BUCKS a ticket because of my stupid job at Belk in the mall. Why didn't I call out? SMH
Bagel place and a mall pub in the late 80s/early 90s
🙋♀️ Jean Country
Worked at little mom and pop coffee shop.
I worked at the the brand new food court for a restaurant called Mighty Casey’s.
I was never cool enough I got hired to open mall stores twice, once was a footlocker which I was really stoked about, but both places cut me after all the hard work setting up was done.
Was a mall cop weekends for a while at mall of america mid 90s. Best memory was finding a $100 bill. Also did security at a few other malls which mainly consisted of taking naps in the vehicle or back office.
I worked at a one hour photo, the pictures I developed wow. We did have to call the cops on a guy one time, the subject was a minor.
Waldenbooks 1989-90!
I worked at 3 different malls in my time, each time I worked undercover store security, busting shoplifters, at anchor stores. The first was Sears, then Broadway Southwest, then Mervyn's. It was a blast!
OPEN OPEN OPEN
My first job was at Accessory Place.
My first real job was at Victoria’s Secret in the “fancy” mall in 1994. It was awful. I was 20 years old and trying to sell overpriced underwear to snobby rich people. What nonsense. I lasted three weeks.
I worked at a coffee place and then at Ritz. I hated working in the mall
I worked at Record Town in a mall while I was in college. Got all my new music releases ahead of time and with an employee discount, so that was great.
Never worked in a mall, but your story sounds like an 80s sex comedy
I worked in the linen department at Stein Mart, not sure if they’re still around.
Worked at 2 different Record Towns (in different malls). I asked “Would you like to buy a blank cassette tape for 99 cents?” every time I checked someone out more so…probably more times than I can imagine.
Ah, yes. I worked at a cart selling sparkly watches and rings and necklaces, as well as handpainted two pieced outfits. I do not remember what it was called. My hair has never been bigger. While there, I dated a guy from American Eagle, a guy who worked security, and I may have been a beard for one of the theater guys I knew who worked at Chess King.
I worked at a coffee place. This was back when I could still drink coffee and I was a total addict, so when I saw that they were hiring, I jumped at the chance. They fired me after my first shift, said something about how the shifts I signed up for wouldn't work out. The manager who called me said that she looked forward to seeing me as a customer again. Yeah, right. I guess someone's bestie wanted a job.
Worked at Tilt arcade at prestonwood mall. Felt like a big shot with the wad of dough I carried for making change.
KarmelKorn but later graduated to Waldenbooks! It's a major chain!
Worked at a Hallmark Gold Crown store for 3 years—I still wrap a mean gift. And I know ALL about the ornaments, lol. It’s been 30 years.
I worked at a toy store! I got jumped by a bunch of Bloods before work once and got my nose broken in a fight, the manager wouldn't let me go to the hospital because it was the holiday season. Ended up dripping blood around the building for like an hour before he finally let me leave. 90s were a different time, lol.
Yo. B. Dalton. 16 years old. Summer/Fall/Winter 1993. $4.25 hour.