The Pompano Fashion Square mall is a travesty, a sad husk of a shopping center, more suited for the set of a b-movie about post-apocalyptic life, or a chainsaw zombie flick than a place to purchase goods of value.

That said, let me tell you why I have mixed feelings about it.

Good things to eat – Auntie Anne’s pretzels, Cinnabon, Manchu Wok, Barnie’s.

There are a few stores of worth, but not many. Sam Goody has music, overpriced. BDalton has books and magazines, but not a great selection. a KayBee toys with great deals on action figures. Sadly, I have no more room in my apartment but will still occasionally get some army men or an X-man fig for newt and me to play with. Hm… a Sears and a Burdines, if you have need for general purpose stuff.

An Internet access kiosk that looks like something out of Max Headroom, all old tech, but I’ve actually been able to post to LJ from there, due to the tragically weak security.

An amazing cultural cross-section that visits. Insane street people, suburbanites, gang-ish preteens, retirees all in pastel colors and white, lovers holding hands, impossibly beautiful people, impossibly grotesque folks. I can sit in the food court, nibbling on lo mien and reading a book there for hours, just watching folks walk past. I used to get together there socially with Dan to play cards, so we could both people watch, and have a fun conversation, too… he’s now very busy with school teaching, but those days will return next summer…

The bad….

Many dead stores. When I moved nearby, the mall had 3 bookstores, 2 record stores, a big software store, a nifty candy island, and 2 dollar stores full of keen weird stuff for cheap. Now, all are gone, except for the above mentioned BDalton’s and Sam Goody. I miss being able to look at new software a walking distance away, or the price balance and variety multiple record stores and music stores offered. There were more folks there to discuss literature, music and games while waiting in the checkout aisle, or bouncing from shelf to shelf. It seems that it’s all Harry Potter and N’sync these days… no variety.

Some of the patrons, and areas of the malls are sort of a combat zone. Don’t go into the bathrooms, unless you want a business proposition of some sort or another, be it sale of drugs, sex, or mugging. Don’t hang around the back area of the mall where *all* of the stores are closed, little gang-types linger there, and seem to have cordoned it off with small amounts of black, red / silver marker graffiti and angry mid-to-late teens. Security at the mall seems low-range. Not a place to take a date. The food court is far more secure.

There have been notices up at the mall for 2 years or so about upcoming renovations, and a new owner. I’ve seen many stores leaving due to higher rent or lack of sales. It’s sort of sad, seeing so many dark storefronts, after the mass exodus… I think the upcoming Christmas season will make it look more cheerful, and I’ve not been in a few weeks… I look forward to taking a walkabout and having a peek soon.

Nearby –

I spend more time at the recently erected Pompano 18 theatres… fresh and new, very shiny. Yvette from the old art theater is working there now, and I’m working on that network to get free movies again, and possibly another circle of friends to grow. 50’s diner, a place I went with Robbo before movies. There’s a nice old biker waitress there, who knows his preference for coffee, and mine for cherry cokes. She falls over herself to be nice, helpful, and conversational. Other waitstaff there is more dead-on business.

A collapsed strip club recently made way for a Walgreen’s, and there’s a swingers/goth club (depending on the night) that’s locked its doors. Is that area becoming more respectable? I guess time will tell. On the far side of the Pompano mall is a golf course and a cemetery. I’m partial to the latter, and a little resentful of the former. I think that land could be put to better use, but I don’t own it. I wonder how many golf balls end up at the boneyard….

all for now, work beckons.