Yet Another Shopping Center Has Opened Today.

 A Mega One As Well!

What are these companies thinking? How many shopping centers does one need and more importantly, how many of them will make a profit. The shops in them, that is. Today a huge extension to our existing mega mall in Oberwart has opened.

For the last two years or so we have been privvy to the building phase as it is right next to the mall. Huge amounts of land were destroyed. Meadows that had provided some natural beauty to contrast a modern mall but now, only a concrete jungle exists.

So, today everyone and their aunt Fanny will go and check  it out, try and garner bargains ( are they ever? ) and I suppose, be seen. Good luck to them.

The irony of it is, that this new mall is a mere accumulation of several national ( yet local ) stores, a carbon copy of many a malls in Austria. Nothing really exiting, only the same old status quo. A mega Spar supermarket store-begs the question why as there is a similar one ( only been upgraded a few years ago ) not even a crow's kilometer away. Those who put two and two together will know that we, the customers will pay for this new store.

Another big national sporting goods store is also opening there and I suppose closing their other store ( ironically next to said Spar ) in order to make a go of this one. Well, I have news for them; it isn't only the slow foot traffic of the current store ( a bit out of the city center but with ample and easy parking ) that is keeping business slow. This is the store that whenever Bob or I have gone into, we have never been greeted, god forbid assisted by someone. Despite there not having been many ( any ) customers in the store. Let's see how good their customer service is in this new emporium.

Apart from all those niggles, the glaringly obvious one is the destruction of yet another natural space. Austria is infamous for its love of concreting over lawns, meadows and land. In this day of internet shopping, the last thing we need is another mega shopping center. Rather make a little side mall ( if you have to ) with small owner operated shops - health shop, beautician, hairdresser, bakery, arts & crafts, shoe shop, boutique, esoteric goods and the like.

Maybe I am wrong and this new center will become a roaring success, but I still think it should be forbidden to keep on building new when there is plenty of old, old which might stand empty if the new is built.

Biggi