Strip malls are beautiful

Before you completely dismiss what I have to say please consider that I did spend a portion of my life in planning and economic development in two different countries (3 if you count the planning exchange I was part of in France). I spent the early part of my university education towing the party line and learning to hate ugly strip malls. Admittedly they are sometimes a little repulsive from the outside, although I would also argue they have a certain character that beautifully engineered spaces sometimes lack. Now that I am outside of the urban centre the only commerce centre in walking distance is not one, but two small strip malls.

At first I shunned them like Betamax. Eventually I was desperate for some small food item and was forced to visit the local ‘mall’. It was amazing. Inside these small shops, most of which were a little on the seedy side from an exterior point of view, was character, service, conversation and above all community. I soon realized there were two specific types of tenants. Starters and lifers.

Lifers are the small corner stores, pizza shops, and paint stores. The starters are those restaurants looking for a cheap place to start and test recipes, systems, staff and theory. I am referring to restaurants because that is the case in my particular demographic.

Anyway this article is getting too long as it is. Explore your local strip mall. Beauty is on the inside. Hidden treasures are waiting to be found. I will continue my strip mall coverage with regular articles covering strip malls across the country.

Stay tuned.