Isn’t it telling how your local mall says so much about where you live?
My local mall back in DC was Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, which put me in a pretty good area. Here in San Jose, there are three main malls, and they each serve a very different kind of neighborhood.
Right now, I live near Oakridge, in South San Jose. It’s nice, has some good restaurants and some upscale shops, as well as a Sears. Over to the east is Eastridge, which even after renovations seems like it will always be the “lower class” mall in a “lower class” area. It has a JC Penney.
Once I move to my new home, my local mall will be the ritzy, upper-class Valley Fair. This is a mall that has an entire wing devoted to high-end retail like Tiffanys, served by valet parking. It has a two Macy’s and a Nordstrom, as well as a Restoration Hardware. And perhaps owing to the high concentration of stores like Abercrombie and Hollister, it is absolutely crawling with hot, muscly California surfer guys. It’s across the street from Santana Row, which is arguably the hottest and hippest destination in San Jose these days.
Here’s an easier analogy to illustrate the social strata of these malls: their Apple Stores.
Valley Fair: Big Apple Store. Oakridge: One of those mini Apple Stores. Eastridge: No Apple Store at all.
Yup. I’m movin’ on up. To the north side.
