Of The Two Malls

Zaxby's or Guthrie's? Rattlers or Noles? North Monroe or Appalachee?

For those that don't know, Tallahassee has two malls proper, Governor's Square and Tallahassee Mall. Both are smaller compared to the ones we have in Tampa and Orlando, and both have their positives and negatives.

Most people I talk to are dedicated GovSq fans, and I have to say that I do have great love for this mall. It was built by the same company and in the same style as Tampa's too soon gone and much beloved Tampa Bay Center. From the skylights to the railings to a reminiscent layout, GovSq is the ghost of it's long lost sister to the south. Also, it's located on a more student friendly side of town, and one that's generally considered 'safer'. It's surrounded by trees, more shops, and located on rolling hills. And it sells Pepsi Max in it's vending machines.

TalMa, on the other hand, seems to have been built in three parts over three decades, and with little modernizing to keep the entire mall in sync with itself. In fact, it doesn't even have a straight line--it sort of meanders along and eventually can't decide whether it wants to be one story or two (it is the only 1-1/3rd story mall that I've ever heard of). The random decor has no sense of connection to anything around it. And of course, this mall is in 'The Hood' (or so I've been told). It can't seem to keep any anchor stores except Belk's. And there's only Coca Cola products in their vending machines.

Let me just say there is no Hood in Tallahassee. Sure, some streets are safer than others, but a Hood? No. And second, I always point out that GovSq is just two miles west of the Federal Corrections facility off of Conner, which is a lot closer than TalMa is to it.

The bottom line is that I prefer Tallahassee Mall. Mind you, I wouldn't kick Governor's Square out of bed for eating crackers, but here's why I came to this conclusion:

-Whenever we come to town, I think, 'Ooo yes, GovSq--let's do some shopping, I love this place!' Then, I find that a store has left or changed and ultimately am (at least a little) sad or disappointed. This trip I found that the amazing dollar store where I got my Jesus clock and Shrimp Pocket had become the most recent victims. Conversely, when we go to TalMa, the thought is, 'Wow, that's still there? And that store is thriving? Good for them!' It's rooting for the underdog. It's a happy surprise to see what is still there (and in the 8 months since I've been here it looks that a good deal has survived).

-Now that Shrimp Pocket is gone from the GovSq food court, the TalMa Chick-Fil-A (complete with it's own Facebook page) rules them all.

-GovSq has the TBC love going for it, and that is playing on my existing love for a mall. That familiarity only exploits a loss. TalMa is a quirky shopping sprawl (like that term?--thought of it today, thank you) that evokes no memory of anything. It's love is purely for it being itself. And come on, it's a 1-1/3rd story mall--how awesome is that? It's an alien creature and still a wonderful curiosity.

-TalMa has a movie theater inside; GovSq's theater is outside and down the hill.

-GovSq feels like a real mall--it has all the shops that most other malls do, like Hot Topic and Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe. TalMa feels like nothing you've ever shopped at before, an altogether different creature. For the love of God, it has a shop that only sells Michael Jackson memorial t-shirts! That's it!!! That alone gives TalMa the grand slam for the win.

-The beautiful people shop at GovSq; the rest of us go to TalMa.

So those are my thoughts on the subject. I will miss both of them, but maybe Tallahassee Mall just a wee bit more. Next debate--Zaxby's vs. Guthrie's. GO!