Malls are popular places for Americans to go. Some people spend so much time at malls that they are called "mall rats". Mall rats shop until they drop in the hundreds of stores under one rood.
People like malls for many reasons. They feel safe because malls have police stations of private security guards. Parking is usually free, and the weather inside is always fine. The newest malls have beautiful rest areas with waterfalls and large green trees.
The largest mall in the United States is the Mall of America in Minnesota. It covers 4.2 mil- lion square feet. It has 350 stores, eight night clubs, and a seven-acre park! There are park- ing spaces for 2,750 cars. About 750,000 people shop there every week.
The first indoor mall in the United States was built in 1965 in Edina, Minnesota. People like doing all their shopping in one place. More malls were built around the country. Now, malls are like town centers where people come to do many things, they shop, of course, they also eat in food courts that have food from all over the world. They see movies at theatres. Some people even get their daily exercise by doing the new sport of "mall walking". Others go to malls to meet friends.
In some malls, people can see a doctor or a dentist and even attend church. In other words, people can do just about everything in malls. Now residents can actually live in their favorite shopping center.