As the trend of brick-and-mortar stores gives way to online shopping, many malls across America are grappling with how to repurpose large, vacant retail spaces. In upstate New York, one mall has decided to convert its former Sears department store into a large indoor self-storage facility, a decision that has been met with mostly sharp criticism from both community members and fellow retailers.
"When department stores, also known as anchors, close, it leaves a significant retail space unused,", said a spokesperson for the mall. The new venture aims to fill that void, but not everyone is thrilled with the solution.
"I don't know what in the heck they were thinking!" exclaimed Nathan Martingale, a 37-year-old shopper. "Who in the heck even thinks, 'Hmm, I need a storage unit. I know, I'll go to the mall!'" His sentiment echoed the frustrations of many in the community.
Another resident expressed their dismay at the aesthetic changes to the former Sears building. "They literally painted the brick a godawful shade of white, threw some faux storage doors on the exterior for show, and called it a day. If they're going to open one of these, couldn't they at least make it look less third worldish? I've seen better storage places in actual third world countries!" said the anonymous resident.
Clair Hollister, another local, offered a blunt comparison: "I mean, I don’t really see a difference here. Sears was already a storage facility full of crap. The only difference now is they made the outside match the ugliness inside."
Even some retailers within the mall are raising concerns. “What in the actual hell?” said a Barnes & Noble employee who wished to remain anonymous. “Who wants to shop next to a clown storage facility? It literally looks like they threw clown makeup at it! White and a weird reddish-orange.”
Some reactions, however, have been more lighthearted. Mike North of Riverton Drive used the transformation as a teaching moment for his child. "My kid asked me what 'lipstick on a pig' meant, so I drove him over to see the old Sears."
Yet, not all feedback has been negative. Resident Dean Spitz expressed excitement about the new storage facility. "I will finally have a place to store my taxidermied squirrel nutsacks! My place is overrun by them. Nobody seems to want to buy these testicular works of art right now, but I’m getting ahead of the market. These storage units are perfect for holding onto my collection until the market takes off."
Others, like Annie Ballgeiger, also see an upside. “I have so much crap from my mother before she died. Now I finally have a place for all her old bondage gear. I’d hate to throw it away—who knows, maybe my kids will want it someday. Ball bags and nipple clamps can get really pricey, and these are antiques!"
The facility has even piqued the interest of the U.S. federal court system, which is currently seeking a place to store thousands of bottles of baby oil recently discovered in the home of embattled musician Sean "Diddy" Combs. The oil, now part of an ongoing investigation, needs to be preserved as evidence for the upcoming trial. "When they found these bottles, we were excited about the evidence, but soon realized we had no idea where to store all of it. That’s when someone mentioned Rochester’s ugly new storage center, and we thought, 'Perfect, no one else would ever think to store their stuff in a mall.'", said Court Clerk Amy Winston.
Even local thieves are reportedly finding the new storage units convenient. One thief, who asked to remain unnamed, shared, "Now when I do a smash and grab, I just take that stuff next door and throw it in my storage unit for a while. Then when I sell it, I just pick it up and ship it out. It’s so efficient!"
While the community's reaction is mixed, it remains to be seen whether this unconventional use of former retail space will prove successful or simply act as a "Zombie Sears" haunting the mall for years to come. Other malls around the country are keeping a close eye on this venture to see if it will inspire similar transformations—or serve as a cautionary tale.
