We went into the city of Launceston last week to buy some shoes for my husband. A parking place was very easy to find, there was one at the base of The Mall and we only had to walk halfway up it to Sketches, a shoe shop.
There are parking meters which are not that easy to use because the light shines on the area you have to read as that is where you put your car registration and how long you will be there and so on, if the sun is shining then it's near impossible. So I like many have an app on the phone called EPark, it's pink so easy to find, so all you have to do is open that app, put the time you wish to stay there for, eg 1 hour and if you take less time you stop the app and are not charged for time not used. I hope you can follow. There is a time limit also.
Jeanswest a clothing shop, well there were 90 stores in Australia all told and the fashion chain was placed in voluntary liquidation all across Australia. This business had a decent size shop here in Launceston and we had to walk past it and we saw a lady sitting inside on the floor eating her lunch and she appeared to have cleaned most of the shop out, along the path up against the window were free items. Sad to see another empty shop.
The Mall was just about void of people; I took a few photos as it looked like a ghost Mall.
I can remember that once you could hardly move because of the people shopping.
Nice photos. It's strange it looks like a ghost Mall.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It felt like a ghost Mall being there, such a shame. I suppose some days are busier than others.
DeleteI don't understand why the places are empty. Is there an economic crisis in your country?
ReplyDeleteNo crisis. Many businesses have gone into liquation all over the world and we down here are no different. We have shops but they are not necessarily ones the young ones wish to shop in. Parking to many is expensive but not as expensive as some other Australian Cities and towns.
DeleteIt's great to see what shops look like in different parts of the world, malls as well. Really nice pictures, Margaret. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to see shop in all parts of the world, they are all different.
DeleteHappy Birthday Margarert๐๐๐
ReplyDeleteThank you Anita. Went out last evening for a meal with family and a few friends, had a lovely time.
DeleteI think the place looks lonely so sad much of the little shops can not continue.
ReplyDeleteHope someone can get it to flower once again๐
Hopefully the shops will flourish once again in the future and bring more people into the city Anita.
DeleteHave a nice day!
ReplyDeleteThank you Anne.
DeletePeople shop online a lot these days...many big stores here are dying too.
ReplyDeleteYes that also what has happened here too. Several things to take into account why.
DeleteCiao Margharet grazie del commento, spero di riprendere piano piano il blog dopo la terribile situazuione che ho attraversato. Complimenti per i tuoi articoli sempre molto apprezzati. Ciao buona settimana, un abbraccio Angelo.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Angelo. It's so good to see a post from you and a comment.
DeleteKeep well. Yes, it was not a nice situation to happen, but we just don't know when it's going to happen to each and everyone of us.
Thank you. ๐
Another quiet day, it looks like. Your parking process sounds very annoying. Enjoy the new week.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bill. Yes a very quite day, I guess some days are like that. Yes parking is a bit of a session but when you get used to it, like everything it's ok.
DeleteI haven't been to a mall in years. I do a lot of shopping online. I enjoyed your photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary. I do shopping online like many of us do do and have been doing. The Mall is only a few km away from where we live as Launceston is a small city.
DeleteShops are closing in droves here too. Including some chains. I don't like malls but I don't like seeing empty shops either.
ReplyDeleteI believe closing of shops and big companies is happening everywhere too.
DeleteSuch a shame, but I do online shopping for clothes sometimes. It's not good to see Malls and shopping areas void of people, EC.
Itโs bittersweet how easily you found parking in Launcestonโhandy for your errands, but a quiet mall and shuttered stores like Jeanswest are a poignant sign of how much has changed on the high street.
ReplyDeleteThat is so very true and rather sad. Looking back, way back there are not many shops left from then, just a handful. People change the times.
DeleteEspero que su pais no este recesiรณn y por eso el centro comercial este vacรญo. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteThank you J.P. Hopefully that won't happen.
DeleteDo you think the quietness is caused by online shopping or have large shopping malls opened in outer areas?
ReplyDeleteThat parking app sounds like a better design that my local one, where you just start it when you park and stop it when you leave. But it is easy to forget to stop it, and you then pay the maximum daily fee.
Yes Andrew, online shopping has a lot to do with it but also many things contribute. No big or smallish shopping center opened here either, we have the Kmart which is always busy, Target and of course Bunnings.
DeleteA lot of women fly to Melbourne to do their shopping as well.
I like our parking app now I've got used to it. We can also increase the time on the parking in our app if in a shop somewhere, if there is only 1 hour parking there and we have put an hour on your app, then you have to be back in time.
That is certainly not the case here - the mail centre in wretched Gosford and besides the hoons and peanut brains and scroungers etc. the place is thriving.
ReplyDeleteI detest the place but have to go there for travelling on the train to Sydney or Maitland.
Here the rain is still bucketing down - the ducks have flown off to the west for some dry!!!
Yesterday the surf beach was empty even the clothed in those body suits were
not there - haven't ever seen that before.
Still strange to see place like Launceston's main street empty.
Cheers
Colin
PS: Anyone want some bloody rain?????????????
Gosh you have had a lot of rain then, Colin. We could do with some for sure, hasn't rained in ages.
DeleteWell it's good to know that The Mall there has more people even if they are not desirables.
Oops - MALL CENTRE IN GOSFORD!!!
ReplyDeleteI love city malls that are car free and have plenty of space down the centre for shoppers to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. But I too am one of the old regulars who never go into the CBD these days *sorry sigh*
ReplyDeleteSo many people just don't go to The Mall and even when we used to travel in the mainland often not many in the malls but admit it was their winter time.
DeleteOur mall is not a large one and I'm finding it easier to walk in and around or sit down on a seat to rest in my old age, Hels.
It's sad to see a mall so empty, but many stores are leased and when the lease expires, many can't afford a new lease at a heavily raised rent. On the other side of the coin, with rising prices, many can't afford to shop the way they used to.
ReplyDeleteYou are dead correct on what you say R. So many reason why the mall is empty but it has very quiet days and busier but nothing like it used to be.
DeleteToo bad there are so many empty shops.
ReplyDeleteHere the small shops are also having a hard time, but shopping centers are still expanding.
I wish you a nice new week.
Greetings Irma
Thank you Irma. I believe it all started with Covid, many shop closed during and after that, prices have become unacceptable to many people and shopping online too, all add to the bareness.
DeleteMany malls here are returning to the open air, park in front of the store style. The enclosed malls are increasingly vacant. People are shopping more online, but they are also dressing in a simpler way.
ReplyDeleteYes the dress code of old has gone completely away. Interesting about the malls going back to the old days and parking out the front of shops, that's how it used to be. It's said things turn around and go back to the old.
DeleteThatโs a real nice look of the place, thanks Margaret :) The parking apps are being used here in parts.. The shopping malls here are having a harder time because of online shopping.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Densie. I guess it's online shopping here too along with rent being high and other things in general.
DeleteBricks and mortar stores are closing all over the world. I suspect the children of today will barely know them.
ReplyDeleteThey won't know shops as we know them David, times move on and change things. To think back at all the things that have been invented since 1946...mind boggling.
DeleteThings are starting to turn around here in the States...Lots of construction starting, new businesses starting up. This is a wonderful thing. Thank God for Trump...
ReplyDeleteHope our good building trends start to show in your country!
hugs
Donna
Well that is wonderful Donna, good to see progress going forward in all countries instead of backwards. We can only hope building progresses down here too.
DeleteThe same thing is happening here mainly due to people buying on line. The shops that have closed down are now mainly food on the go places, cafes, charity shops, and curiously several barbers shops. I say curiously because so many men today don't appear to have their haircut but sport plaits, ponytails and funny buns on top of their heads.
ReplyDeleteOh you are right about the barbers shops with men and their hair or lack of it, a few have closed here too. I'm surprised that charity shops have closed Rosemary, well some of them.
DeleteOnline shopping and high rents also here.
Sorry I worded my comment wrongly - I mean't that the shops that have closed have been replaced by food on the go, charity shops etc.
DeleteOh ok, thanks Rosemary ๐
DeleteHola, unas fotos estupendas para una triste realidad que estรก sucediendo en todo el mundo. Ahora la gente compra por Internet y sin salir de casa en mi ciudad, las tiendas pequeรฑas estรกn convirtiendo los locales en viviendas y es muy triste porque hay menos gente por las calles y ya no estรกn los escaparates que alegraban la vista. Un saludo desde Espaรฑa
ReplyDeleteOh my, that is not good, it's always nice to do window shopping, a thing of the past nearly these days.
DeleteGood idea to make the once shop into homes.
It's such a shame to see another store closing down and the mall feeling so empty. Hopefully, things will pick up again for the businesses there.
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope things will improve regarding the shops, Benita. Online shopping doesn't help.
DeleteMalls are getting emptier with more and more people shopping online. We have had two nearby malls shut down.
ReplyDeleteGoodness that not good two have closed down, we only have one mall as we are a small city.
DeleteAuf den Bildern sieht das Einkaufzentrum trist und leer aus aber auch bei uns sind in den Einkaufzentren immer leere Geschรคfte zu sehen.
ReplyDeleteGruร
Noke
It does look dreary in our mall, Noke. If there were more people it would be happier I'm sure.
DeleteThose pedestrian areas are so clean and empty. Many shops are closed here too. On the contrary, fast food and gambling still continue their business. It's so sad.
ReplyDeleteEven if there were more people there the area would still be clean. Our city just one the tidiest town in Australia . We have a Macers just down the road and that has become quieter for this area, but down further towards the city a new one was built a couple of years ago and it's always busy - took some of the customers from the near home here, that is why.
DeletePeople can always seem to find money to gamble...it is sad.
Unfortunately I think this is happening worldwide as more and more of us do our shopping online.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Seems to be Jan, online shopping here and high rents are part of it.
DeleteYeah looking at the photos made me think of what it is like in town here, town being what was once the heart of Newcastle, now there are so many empty stores. Also so many stores are closing down lately
ReplyDeleteYes they have closed lately, especially some women clothes shops - sad.
DeleteImagenes muy reales de la vida en la ciudad.
ReplyDeleteVery real indeed Ildefonso.
DeleteThat looks sad.
ReplyDeleteWe're social beings; it's not good for us to sit alone at the computer...
I imagine a cafรฉ in Italy where you drink an espresso in the morning and meet others.
That's what we need.
We need that contact.
I hope you were able to buy shoes. All the best to you both.
Yes we are social beings and need others for company and social activities.
DeleteYes, my husband bought two pairs of shoes and I didn't need any for our winter.
Isn't it crazy how vacant malls are nowadays? I remember back in the 80's when one could barely walk around during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading the comments about other countries Malls as well as other areas in Australia too, it's interesting. Yes back in the day shoulder to shoulder in the Malls and streets, not these days.
DeleteI don't love crowded malls but it is sad to see them empty! I sometimes clean carpets for stores, but more and more have been going out these days. It's too bad!
ReplyDeleteYes it's sad. So less work for you.
DeleteSad to know about these ghost Malls...
ReplyDeleteYes it is.
DeleteTerrigal - 9.40am.
ReplyDeleteLast night I thought the roof would cave in - it bucketed down.
And the flooding up the coast is horrendous and the cost!!!!!
One bloke downed but you DON'T drive through flood waters.
Will they ever learn?????????
I shall go to Terrigal today to see what is left of the beach front and see if
anyone is trying to commit hari-sari!!!
No pub - too cold for beer!!! That is a first for me - ha ha.
Cheers
Colin
I saw on the news on the TV where there are dreadful floods once again. Yet no rain here.
DeleteOh you think that deceased man would have known not to drive through the flood water, well he did learn the hard way - but it's his family and friends who are left behind feel the brunt of that dreadful happening.
Tooo cold for a beer! Well I never Colin!
Querida amiga, preciosas fotografรญas, parece una ciudad fantasma, acรก en mi pais, las tiendas tambiรฉn estรกn vacรญas, el mundo todo esta mal.
ReplyDeleteโฅQuerida amigaโฅ, que pases un bello dรญa
(ยฏ`โข.โขยดยฏ) (ยฏ`โข.โขยดยฏ)โ Que Dios
*`โข.ยธ(ยฏ`โข.โขยดยฏ)ยธ.โขยดโ Te bendiga
โฅ ยบยฐ โฅ`โข.ยธ.โขยด โฅ ยบยฐ โฅ `โข.ยธ.โขยด` โ
Abrazos y te dejo un besito
โค ยป โโ โซ โฒ โค โณ โซ โโ ยซ โค
Thank you Liz. Yes the world is bad, we are all saying that, hopefully it will get better. Take care.
DeleteA lot of shops are going out of business but I wonder if they remain an online shop. Do you think lack of people is a result of the high cost of living?
ReplyDeleteI don't think many people have the money to spend Diane, it's also online shopping, higher rents. I believe 'Rockman's are online now, I looked but no big range of clothes and only at this point up to size 16.
Deleteร caso para perguntar: por que diminuiu tanto a afluรชncia de pรบblico?
ReplyDeleteAbraรงo de amizade.
Juvenal Nunes
Due to several things, Juvenal. Online shopping, higher rent and people well some of them just don't have the money to shop in the city.
DeleteItโs striking how places we once knew bustling can change so quickly, yet your thoughtful observation keeps the memory alive. Your visit captures the quiet moments that remind us how important it is to appreciate what we have and hope for brighter days ahead. It feels like a conversation between old friends about the passing of time.
ReplyDeleteNew post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2025/05/lochwinnoch-nature-reserve-travel-guide.html
Nicely put Melody.
DeleteThe city you visited to shop sounds wonderful dear Margaret ๐
ReplyDeleteHope you could buy some nice footwear for your hubby.
The Epark looks like a reasonable app with lots flexibility
The shop Jeanswet you mentioned as less crowded this time must have been through something
Blessings ๐ฅฐ
It is a nice city Baili, it's clean but does lack customers. Jeanswest has now gone unfortunately.
DeleteI love the epark app.
Sรญ, da tristeza que cierren las tiendas, pero estรก pasando en todas partes. Un abrazo Margaret.
ReplyDelete