Desert Sky Mall

Well let me start off by addressing the crime. I will be real with you, like always. There have been a few murders there that I'm aware of, a few in the parking lot involving robbery and one in Mercado de Los Cielos. *I feel like some of the food places in the Mercado...are unsanitary. Idk how it's not a health code violation. I digress. I know people who have either been mugged and assaulted in the parking lot, or had an attempted mugging. Sometimes there are cops stationed in the parking lot, which is a great thing.

I once read an article about a big drug bust. I think it was one car full of fentanyl. Apparently they were doing their exchange(s) or whatever in the parking lot.

One time during Black Lives Matter when everyone was already on edge, I was in a large shoe store near one of the main entrances. Suddenly a massive crowd of people were running to get out. Strangely they were mostly quiet at first. It was the creepiest thing. Most of us thought we could leave through the door and avoid the crowd. It wasn't so. Theft is an issue there, so one has to go through the metal spin thing or jump the metal bar to get to the bulletproof glass door. The door was locked as most people just exit through the mall. That glass is unbreakable by the way. Long story short the employee who told us to chill...Idk how she was so certain there was no danger, unlocked the door. Turns out the guy who attempted to rob a jewelry store took a hammer to a glass case. People assumed that it was gun shots.

It's a small mall that's gone through many changes through the years. At this time its only department stores are Dillard's Clearance Center and Burlington (if that is even a department store). It's very much catered to the Hispanic population. You will find Mexican candy stores, several Careta de Lilys, etc. If you have young kids there is a play area (idk how often it's disinfected but I have seen the cleaning crew around the mall with their carts). There is a center stage with a few steps, where when not in use, kids run around while parents sit and watch them from the benches. I'm not sure if they still have folklorico dancing performances and Mariachi's. Some of the Mariachi's from the past were very good. There is a small food court with a few Hispanic food options, 1 seemingly popular Chinese food restaurant and 1 seemingly popular Pizza restaurant *idk if their mild wings are still good, it's been awhile. There is 1 or 2 boba, 🥨 places, and a Cinnabon. You will find a few shoe stores like Footlocker and others. There is a Bath and Body Works and a Victoria's Secret there. Hot Topic has been there forever. There are a few barber shops and one salon/barber shop...K-Momo and similar stores like that ya feel me? Growing up this is the main mall we went to. Of course it was long ago and it was vastly different then. There was a small regular movie theater there for ages. Then they exclusively started playing movies in Spanish. I'm not sure if the theater exists at all there now. I'm happy that the unique Arizona store Ropin' the West lasted a very long time there. It's just kinda sad. It's also sad that it doesn't feel safe. I might add photos later. It just feels risky to visit there now, dude.