For children, the mall is a place filled with excitement and wonder - people rushing around with shopping bags filled to the brim, arcade games at every entrance and a special chair set up during the holidays for pictures with Santa Claus.
Once you've entered adulthood, however, the mall becomes more of a stressor than a treat +â-¡- specialty stores in which you want to browse or find that special gift for someone induce anxiety and frustration.
Today, there is more to consider than where you'll find the nearest candy dispenser or if you'll run into your friends from school. There are many things to worry about, such as the grim and determined mall walkers, the wailing infants in strollers, the black-clothed teenage gang with too many piercings to count, the middle school kids with matching outfits and cell phones, the frazzled and hurried mothers searching for those list-minute gifts and, of course, the young couples who find it necessary to make out on every mall bench.
And the entire mall experience could not be complete without the other key players - the overly suspicious store employees, the security guards with no chance of "securing" anything and the bus drivers who have no regard for pedestrians crossing the parking lot to get into the mall.
I bet this summary makes you want to head to the mall right now, doesn't it?
To further boost your enthusiasm, remember the holidays are quickly approaching, and the mall will only get worse.
That is, until you discover the joy and pure brilliance of the ultimate shopping experience: a high-end mall.
I'm happy to report that such malls are in our midst, and while it takes more initiative than just driving a few blocks or catching a bus, it is definitely worth it. Fine shopping can be found in Indianapolis at Castleton Square Mall and the Fashion Mall at Keystone, among other places, and fortunately, they do not require the trek I recently took to find my perfect mall - but I'll never be able to look at a regular mall the same way again.
Last week, I attended a conference in St. Louis, and with some free time I had for exploring the city, I decided to look for some stores to which I could devote my money and attention. An avid Louis Vuitton fan, I located a shopping mall 15 minutes away from St. Louis that boasted stores including Louis Vuitton, Coach, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
I can honestly say those few hours I spent in the mall were the most peaceful and enjoyable ones I have ever had while shopping. There was no sign of any of the characters I mentioned above.
Instead, young professional women swathed in thin veils of perfume casually and quietly shopped while security men in business suits focused intently on items that were being brought into and out of each establishment.
I was also amazed by the attentiveness of the cashiers. Three employees came up to me at once to offer their help.
The consideration I received seemed to grow as the employees noticed I had an extensive array of shopping bags when I walked into their stores.
It's nice to know that at such a busy time of year for shopping, you can be treated as an individual and extended the courtesy of being an actual customer, not just any consumer.
Through high-end shopping, you are able to take in all of the luxurious products and not have the hassle of weaving through crowds crammed into tiny stores or walking through clouds of cigarette smoke to enter the mall itself.
Prices do go up when shopping at select malls, but you get your money's worth when you receive such high-class service.
This season, re-live the childhood excitement of the mall by visiting one of these classy shopping establishments - that "other mall" experience will always be waiting for you.
Write to Danielle at drcoulter@bsu.edu
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