Hello, Hiveworld! How y'all doin? Long time no see.
After several months of hibernation, I'm back now, with new stories ahead.
Recently, I visited a mall in my city, it called Plaza Semanggi. I was struck by the emptiness and silence that greeted me. The mall was nearly empty, with only a few shoppers and tenants present. I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the way things used to be.
Plaza Semanggi was once a bustling and popular mall in Jakarta, opened on December 7, 1994. It was built on a busy intersection that connected Jakarta's central business district with the southern part of the city. For years, it was a go-to destination for shopping, dining, life style, and entertainment.
But, things have changed in the past few years, and the mall's once-thriving atmosphere has faded. Now, the mall is quiet, and many of its stores and restaurants have closed down.
Some malls have been struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Plaza Semanggi has struggled long before that. Many new malls have been built in Jakarta and attract many visitors. Gradually, Plaza Semanggi Mall began to lose its visitors and its tenants too.
Over the years, Plaza Semanggi has undergone several renovations and expansions to keep up with changing trends and consumer preferences. But I guess it doesn't really work.
When COVID-19 struck, this mall experienced the worst period.
The changes at Plaza Semanggi feel particularly poignant to me, perhaps because I have so many memories of the mall from my past. In fact, I met my husband there for our first date.
It's hard not to feel concerned about the future of Plaza Semanggi and other malls like it. These malls were once symbols of progress and prosperity, but now they seem to be struggling to survive. Ironic, isn’t it?
I hope that this once-great mall can find a way to regain its former glory and once again become a thriving hub of activity and excitement. Can it?
Thanks for dropping by. Have a nice day!
All pictures are mine, taken with Redmi Note 10s
Welcome back to the blogging world.
One positive thing about the scanty mall is that you managed to capture some great images that would not have been so obvious if it was crowded. Hopefully things will change and pick up soon:)
Thank you, Milly.
Yes, you're right. Somehow the mall looks more 'photogenic' when it's quiet 😁
We have lots of "deserted" mall like this in Jakarta. Many people said that the era of grand mall is over, because people are turning to online shopping. I secretly hope that the empty malls will just be demolished and the land made into parks or public spaces. IDK.
Yes, O does see a lot more online shopping happening. Parks or public spaces are much nice than malls, so that's an option. I guess we'll probably get even a better understanding of trends in a year or two, and maybe changes will be made then:)
I dont like crowds but then again a mall that empty is kind of sad lets hope it can recover back to the glory it used to have
Thanks for joining the Wednesday Walk, Sorry last week was a bit rough for me and I not only did not get out for any walks, but also was not able to visit all the walks from last week, but feeling better this week and visiting posts again which is always fun for me to visit the walks from all around the world, getting a feel for communities where people live and what they see on their daily walks
Thank you for your reply. Glad you're feeling better now and be able to visit the walks again.
I don't really like crowds either, I prefer a small groups and enjoy the silence more. Yeah it kind of sad, but I think I will accept if it won't be able to recover back due to the current situation. I secretly hope that they'll demolish the empty malls and turn it into parks or public spaces.
Thanks so much, glad to be building up slowly hopefully soon I can get out for some walks myself soon
I do kind of agree with you we need more parks and open spaces