Letter from a Charleston Mall

Hi Colin,

Let me tell you a mall story. I have lived in Ft. Mill SC since 2005. Fom 1971 until then I  lived in Charlotte NC, mostly on the south side. In 1986 I quit renting and purchased my own place on the east side. It was only a mile or so from Eastland Mall.

Eastland was your typical mall ; Ivy’s, Sears, Dillard’s Belks with the mall in between. Skating rink, movies, restaurants, etc. It was a good place to go. But I didn’t like it over there too much and moved a couple of years later.

In the 90’s I started hearing about gangs and violence in the mall area. Eastland also has a Spencer’s, which specializes in gag gifts and racy things, ‘Old fart’ hats and the like.

I wanted to buy a gift of this sort for Christmas. The minute I walked in the atrium, I saw a black barbershop, all black barbers and clients. All the kiosks were of an African American venue. Even ‘Deck the Walls’ was all black art. 

As the years passed by things went downhill; robbery, violence, vandalism and the usual ghetto mentality until they closed the doors. Later they leveled the buildings and tried to sell the property. 

Today, even the name Eastland is cursed, and the lot is a big eyesore. What does the left leaning Charlotte Observer attribute it to? Socia-economic differences.