Mall dealings may be down in recent year , but during their1980sheyday , shopping nerve centre had everything . Food courts , overstrung habiliment storehouse with racks full ofJNCO jean , and centrally - located water fountains .
Malls had something else , too : An consequence schedule . With dependable foot dealings , show organizers found malls ideal blank space for promoting amusement belongings and other attractions . Take a look at some of the more memorable spectacle from the ‘ 80sshopping mallera .
1. Tiffany in Concert
The epicenter of sweet teen bebop in the ‘ eighty was the mall . Not only were record stores full of albums by act like Debbie Gibson and New Kids on the Block , but some patron were treat to live performances . Singer Tiffany iscreditedwith helping to popularize mall tours , appearing live to perform hits like “ I cogitate We ’re Alone Now ” and sign up autographs . Her Tiffany Shopping Mall Tour ’ 87 , which wasconceivedby MCA Records then - vice president Larry Solters and open over 14 web site , helped pad gross revenue of her self - titled introduction album . Solters say that the mall appearance helped her impinge on demographic beyond the teen grocery . ( After the term of enlistment , Tiffany figure her junior year of high shoal . She was just 15 years erstwhile at the clip . )
2. Nintendo Demonstrations
When theNintendo Entertainment Systemarrived in the United States in 1985 , the video game market was in shambles . Atari had glut the market with subpar games and retailer were wary of investing in a new cabinet . To help stir interest in the NES , Nintendofocusedon the New York City area first . Their strategy included a enlistment of malls in both New York and New Jersey , where shoppers could sample biz likeDuck HuntorBaseball . The event also included R.O.B. , the robot package with the first wave of systems ( though he go too easy to strike anyone ) . Nintendo rival Sega alsolauncheda mall circuit in 1988 to promote their ticket of games .
3. Costumed Character Appearances
kidskin in the ‘ 80s who dream of run into their pop cultivation heroes or heroine could bet on their local mall to come through . A number of character like He - Man and Barbiemadepersonal appearances , posing for exposure and signing autographs . Fans could alsocatchthe likes of Spider - Man , Captain America , Wolverine , Doctor Doom , and Ariel fromThe Little Mermaid .
4. Nick at Nite’s TV Land Mall Tour
For mass in the ‘ 80s nostalgic for the ‘ 50s and ‘ 60s , Nickelodeon had a result . The channel ’s Nick at Nite programming block of vintage sitcoms father a big push when the TV Land Mall Tour waslaunchedin 1989 . visitor could check out trivia as well as a reproduction motorcar fromCar 54 , Where Are You?and aMr . Edpuppet .
5. The NBA Mall Tour
Hoops lover could get their fix in malls when the NBApromotedan event in 1988 that allowed visitors to compete against one another in everything from foul shots to tie their stoolpigeon . Video highlights of slam dunk contests were also on hand .
6. The Jedi Adventure Center
7. Patrick Duffy
Actors from both primetime and daytime soaps were frequent visitant to malls ; theappearanceswere good promotion for their serial and third - political party plugger might compensate $ 2000 and up for a few hours of workplace . DallasstarPatrick Duffywent on a mall tour in 1982 and was apparently besiege by romantic fans . “ Oh my God , he ’s gorgeous , ” friend Aggie UsedlytoldThe Detroit Free Press . “ He has beautiful dismal hair , wear down cowpoke boots and jean , and is taller than I ever imagined . I was just as drop dead as any other fan in run across him . ” Another attendee was say to have model in Duffy ’s lap covering and begin buss him before being removed by security department .
