[Djean1981]

Are there any nice indoor shopping malls, closer than Orlando?

[Gpsma]

There’s Paddock Mall in Ocala right off I75. Dont know how nice it is, i dont do malls, i do Amazon

[JSR22]

The 2 best malls are Millenia in Orlando and Tampa International Mall in Tampa. The malls in Ocala and Leesburg are not very good.

[Djean1981]

Thanks. I was curious more for walking around in the a/c and maybe a yoghurt.

[retiredguy123]

There is the Lake Square Mall in Leesburg. It's not very good either, but they do have a bookstore, Belk's, and a movie theater, if they are still open.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

There is the Lake Square Mall in Leesburg. It's not very good either, but they do have a bookstore, Belk's, and a movie theater, if they are still open.

The theater is still open and is a nice one. Fairly small mall.

Do not understand given our temps there are no other indoor malls closer to us.

[Number 10 GI]

Shopping malls have been falling out of favor and have been closing all over the country. On-line shopping is a big reason for this. Unruly teenagers acting up, sometimes with violence has added to the problem. As a male, there isn't much of anything in a mall that interests me as 99% of the stores target teens and women.
I think the thing that might save malls is to have a sports bar that only serves men. Something like a Hooters attire for the servers. A husband can go to the sports bar while the wife shops. When she is ready to leave, she knocks on the door to the bar, and just like during prohibition, the doorman slides open small slit window and asks who she wants. The doorman then calls for the husband and tells him his spouse is ready to go.

[margaretmattson]

Beautiful shopping areas and outlet mall in Wesley Chapel. About an hour's drive heading toward Tampa. Have many major retail chains not here in the Villages, as well. Nice hair salons. Nice Restaurants. Everything you could want in one area. Google the area. You might like it!

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

Shopping malls have been falling out of favor and have been closing all over the country. On-line shopping is a big reason for this. Unruly teenagers acting up, sometimes with violence has added to the problem. As a male, there isn't much of anything in a mall that interests me as 99% of the stores target teens and women.
I think the thing that might save malls is to have a sports bar that only serves men. Something like a Hooters attire for the servers. A husband can go to the sports bar while the wife shops. When she is ready to leave, she knocks on the door to the bar, and just like during prohibition, the doorman slides open small slit window and asks who she wants. The doorman then calls for the husband and tells him his spouse is ready to go.

My dear wife has learned she does not want to go shopping with me. I want something find it buy a bunch of them so as to now need again for a few years.

She goes for one thing and finds a dozen other things to look at. No patience for that so a sports bar would be a good thing.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

Beautiful shopping areas and outlet mall in Wesley Chapel. About an hour drive heading toward Tampa. Have many major retail chains not here in the Villages, as well. Nice hair salons. Everything you could want in one area.

Not any good department stores.

[wawriwwawriw]

Shopping malls are a thing of the past. I would guess over 50% or more are half empty. Closer than Orlando, no. There is one in Gainesville, an hour drive and is half full an a good one in tampa over an hour away, international Mall.

[jimbomaybe]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

Shopping malls have been falling out of favor and have been closing all over the country. On-line shopping is a big reason for this. Unruly teenagers acting up, sometimes with violence has added to the problem. As a male, there isn't much of anything in a mall that interests me as 99% of the stores target teens and women.
I think the thing that might save malls is to have a sports bar that only serves men. Something like a Hooters attire for the servers. A husband can go to the sports bar while the wife shops. When she is ready to leave, she knocks on the door to the bar, and just like during prohibition, the doorman slides open small slit window and asks who she wants. The doorman then calls for the husband and tells him his spouse is ready to go.

At one time there was a bar in Chicago called :He's Not Here" always answered the phone that way

[Blueblaze]

Paddock Mall in Ocala seemed very nice when I got my 2nd Covid shot there a couple of years ago -- although I didn't look around much.

I was too busy standing in line on a taped "X", all masked-up, 50% "immune", and 6ft distant from whoever it was gave me Covid that day. I've often wondered how many other folks might have avoided a month of sniffles and 3 months of coughing if our helpful government hadn't gathered us all together to get our dose.

We had to go there because we got our first shot in Texas before we moved, and it was the only place to get the Pfizer shot in the area. Of course, that was the only thing open, which was a little creepy.

[NotGolfer]

Years ago Mall of America opened in MPLS and was a huge draw for mostly tourists. The locals pretty much stayed away. THEN the gangs started coming and now it's not safe---mostly at night. Same with malls in Milwaukee. As other OP's stated, malls are dying. We don't have any here but notice how stores are closing....ie. BB&B, Steinmart and others. I too wouldn't mind seeing indoor malls but I think they're a thing of the past.

[Windguy]

If you are just looking for a conditioned space to walk and don’t care about the stores, then the Leesburg and Ocala malls will do. I think they are generally safe. I love the AMC theater in Leesburg and have left movies late in the evening and had no altercations.