Along with the advent of fast foods and suburban living came the need for a new style of shopping, one which would reflect the emerging lifestyles of modern living. With these new trends came the necessity for shopping malls. Most Americans today prefer to shop at such malls because of their convenience and accessibility. Flanked by huge parking lots the many shops and stores offer a wide variety of merchandise in differently priced categories. Usually there is a main department store and numerous boutiques and smaller shops specializing in specific goods. Within every mall there are even banks which offer a full supply of services for the consumer.
Shopping at such places provides a wealth of activities for all members of the family. It is possible to visit a mall and spend the whole day without exhausting all there is to offer. Seasonal themes are celebrated with art exhibits and talent shows.
Occasionally there may even be contests and raffles to lure the customers to stay longer and enjoy their leisure once the business of the day is finished.
All shopping malls also host an international food court which is comprised of various fast-food and family-styled restaurants. Here one can enjoy Italian Pizza along with a Chinese egg roll and Japanese sukiyaki, all purchased from neighboring concessions.
A duplex movie theater may not be far from the food court with as many as half a dozen films being shown in as many theaters. If one's entertainment preference is sports rather than cinema then the shopping mall may also feature an ice-skating rink, bowling alley and a health spa.
Some Americans, however, who may live in remote areas or who would rather avoid the crowded stores and parking lots, prefer to shop instead from a Mail Order catalog. Their every purchase is only a phone call away. Unless, however, they are familiar with the quality of the service, they may be in for a few surprises. The quality and service provided by Mail Order may vary, but once the consumer's confidence is assured, the service can be very convenient and reliable.
The agricultural expansion and the completion of the continental railroad after the Civil War supported the early growth of the great Mail Order companies. Also the extension of the Parcel Postal System in1913 encouraged the growth of mail order houses. The catalogs for these houses is extensive and everything can be purchased through them. By the 1970's there were several thousand mail order houses in the U.S. Most mail order houses sell limited lines of merchandise and specialize in one or two areas of marketing. The recognized industry leaders are located in Chicago and Sears, Roebuck and Co., founded in 1886, has sales in the billions of dollars every year.
These modern ways of shopping may satisfy the needs of most people today but it does have a drawback. In many American cities the once popular "mom and pop" stores have vanished unable to compete with the services and prices provided by the more popular and larger malls. It's a bit of a shame because those "mom and pop" establishments helped to keep the people together and to create communities. Service then was more personal and the occasional favors from shop owners were more appreciated. Today with the age of the computer both shopping malls and mail order houses may soon take second place to online shopping by way of the world wide web.