Glenbrook Square — Attraction in Fort Wayne

I hate those guys who shove samples of lotion or whatever the hell in your face. DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT. If you accidentally make eye contact, just speed up. Don't be the nice person who stops to talk to them, then spends $35 on a product that, you're really not even sure of the quality or even what it is exactly. Definitely don't smile. I know, this all sounds rude. And that's okay. Because you don't just go around shoving random crap in people's faces. That's rude. It's probably how they were instructed to behave, and yeah, they're trying to make a living too. I get it. Just go to Fridays and give the waiter a good tip to make up for the guilt you feel over walking past these folks, if you have to. I mean, you're still paying too much for a sub-par product at Fridays, but those folks didn't come up to you with a plate of spinach dip and stick it right under your nose and promise it could reverse the signs of aging and global warming.

The three stars were basically because all the shops are close together, as you'd expect in a shopping mall. This is convenient. And I like the bookstore. But really, you could go buy used books somewhere else for a better price. Unless you just love the smell of new books, which is totally understandable. I like to wander around the bookstore and just look at all the things I could possibly buy. The downside to this is people giving you the side-eye after they've asked you three times if they could help you. Even though you smile and cheerfully reply "no thanks! I'm good!" Like it's some kind of crime to walk around a bookstore looking at every single thing before you buy something. And maybe continuously put books back that you thought you wanted, but saw a better book and decided to get that instead.

The folks at the Starbucks there are nice enough. Sometimes. People need to quit making it apparent that they hate their jobs. Yes, I was once nineteen and also hated my job, I get it. But hey, maybe you could like, fake smile or something? Use a fake, cheery customer service voice like literally most other people.

Mall's crowded. It's a mall, that's to be expected. If you have social anxiety, either avoid this place or use it as exposure therapy, whatever floats your boat.

So in all, it really is...

As I walked into the mall, I was immediately struck by the opulence and grandeur of the place. The gleaming marble floors, the towering ceilings, and the endless rows of high-end stores all seemed to radiate wealth and luxury. It was a shopper's paradise, or so I thought.

As I began to explore the various stores and corridors of the mall, I couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of unease. The stores were filled with expensive goods, but there was an emptiness to them, a hollowness that belied their shiny facades. The constant pressure to buy, to consume, to keep up with the latest trends and fashions began to wear on me, like a weight that grew heavier with each passing moment.

But it wasn't until I reached the food court that the true horror of the mall began to reveal itself. The once-bustling space was now empty, the neon lights flickering and dimming. The smell of stale food hung in the air, and the few remaining restaurants seemed to be operating in a daze, serving up lukewarm, overpriced meals to a handful of disinterested patrons.

As I continued to wander the mall, the sense of dread grew stronger. The crowds had thinned, the stores were closing down, and the once-vibrant atmosphere had given way to a sense of decay and decline. It was as if the mall itself was slowly dying, consumed by its own insatiable desire for profit and growth.

And then, in a moment of clarity, I realized that this was the true horror of the mall. It wasn't just a place of commerce and consumption, but a monument to a system that valued profit over people, growth over sustainability, and endless expansion over true human connection. The mall was a microcosm of our capitalist society, a place where the rich got richer and the rest of us were left to scrabble...

Seriously, this is actually an amazing mall. I hadn't been for a while, but now that my husband Marty works at Bob's Furniture, I have been frequenting it more often. Not only are there so many awesome stores to shop through, but the food court is amazing. I meet my husband for lunch sometimes and I have never had a bad meal there. Lol. I usually go for the Asian cuisine like Ruby Thai, Sarku, or Very Jelly, but they also have sandwich places, smoothy and ice cream shops, Panda Express, and Chick-fil-A, etc... and that's just the food court. They also have treats along the way, like Blondies Cookies, Starbucks, and one of my favs, Auntie Anne's Pretzels, plus restaurants that you can get to from outside of the mall like P.F Changs and Red Robin. Yes... I love food and therefore judge a place by the food they have available. Good thing I can get my steps in at the mall. I recommend you go get some steps in as well and treat yourself for your hard work with a present or treat. Oh, and stop in and say hi to Marty at Bob's if you need furniture. You can't miss him. Just asked for the guy that looks like Bob! Lol. That's what people have been telling him....