Trickle down economics in a nutshell.
Growing up in the UK I never understood the appeal of malls. Towns and cities in the UK developed organically and mostly unplanned meaning there are always plenty of small backroads and alleys to explore for hidden gems. That's also disappearing or disappeared completely now in favour of virtually identical, almost cloned main high street town planning and out-of-town shopping centres - the modern equivalent of malls.
The large cities still have hidden coves and small unique shops but they harder to find these days.