Take just a moment to picture the mall: hundreds of stores, the rush of water from a big fountain, the smell of pretzels and the food court — and at this time of year, a tall Christmas tree as holiday shopping gets fully underway. 

It’s true that malls across the country have struggled. Where Sears, Boscov’s or Macy’s once drew tons of customers, there’s now vacant space and an empty parking lot. The convenience of ordering things online has hurt in-person retailers, but it’s not too late for these cultural landmarks to stay afloat. 

This hour, we’re asking if the American shopping mall is really dead. Our guests are Barbara Kahn, professor of marketing at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Kenny Cooper, suburban reporter for WHYY News whose latest series looks at the past and future of malls in our region.