Hanes Mall — Attraction in Winston-Salem

This once good mall that used to have stores with comic books, pianos, toy stores with toy saxophones, Stores like Disney store in recent decades has gone downhill unfortunately. Even as recently as 10 years ago they had RadioShack let alone the Apple computer store above the carousel. I also remember they had a mini carnival in the spring time out in the parking lot one year a long time ago they had a pretty big Ferris wheel it wasn’t the Carolina classic fair but it was pretty neat! Why did The Mall have to change? Why is everything in today’s World about Yankee candle-esque stores? Even the vaccination site over a year ago during Covid when Covid was the pandemic it was Sears and Roebuck. They used to have good things there too I wish that never closed to begin with. I remember buying the George Foreman grill with my father there many years ago we used to cook out on it on a Saturday evening in the springtime in the early-2000s. I don’t like how things are different now in 2022! I remember they had good lawnmowers outside on sale there also! They also had advertisements in the newspaper of Sears, and sales going on! I also remember Sbarro Pizza in the food court! Although it’s stretching it to say that being at The Mall back way then was like being in New York indoors it was pretty cool, though! I also remember the wishing well where my Mom when I was a kid growing up used to give me a penny to toss in the fountain to make a wish. I also remember stores like I think there was a record store in there where you can buy retro CDs like Steely Dan, Bruce Hornsby, Kenny G, Al Green, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Tears for Fears, Nirvana, and Pat Metheny. Those were the good old days I miss! I also remember kids sat in Santa‘s lap at Christmas. I also remember Burger King in the food court. As well as the Smithsonian store across the lobby. I also remember they had a cool elevator! There was also a pet store. Also, who could forget the candy store? I also remember there was a video arcade there where you could play things like Mortal Kombat that was so fun I just remember when I was a kid are used to go there, and play video games! There may have been a movie theater I think there was a long time ago! I also vaguely remember there was a store that was somewhat similar to Best Buy or at the time circuit city in the mall. It was a technology store but it was small. You could buy remote controls there, etc. I also remember you can buy analog TVs there. I just don’t remember the name of it. It may have been Curtis Mathes but I’m not 100% sure. These were all good times! What happened to life? Why can’t life still be like this almost 30...

The mall was mostly empty. I almost got abducted. A skin care kiosk lady at the front sold me on a product, told me a sob story about her life. Lured me to their “new Spa” upstairs where they said I got a freee consultation for buying something. The lady from the kiosk spoke in a different language (I won’t specify which) to the man) the man with a younger women spoke back and forth had me wait at a consultation table while the kiosk lady distracted me, the man and other woman were coming back and forth from the back rooms in the store. Then he started talking to me and kiosk lady slipped away without a word. I explained I already bought something and didn’t want to buy anything else. And he said I needed to fix my face neck and stomach and they had a lady from Miami who would give me a consultation, they asked me to follow them and positioned themselves where I was in the middle and lead me away from the consultation tables to the back, though a hallway into a storage room where I could see more storage rooms and hallways. There was nothing but boxes a a white couch and a small room with a single chair in it. Nope not today. I pushed passed the girl and ran for it. They chased me out of the store but then stopped so they wouldn’t cause a scene I’m sure. As I looked for an escape I noticed men of the same ethnicity posed outside other stores pretending to be on the phone while saying nothing and just scanning the people in the mall. I remembered there was a mall cop in the front of the store right by the kiosk lady but I wasn’t going back that way. And obviously this is happening under their nose. If you’re going to go to this mall don’t make eye contact with...

My experiences at Hanes Mall are usually pleasant and I usually find what I need with no problem. However, has the "pandemic" caused many to become obsessive compulsive about the sanitation? I understand about following CDC guidelines, but how far is too far? My family's experience just now:

1.Explain to me why there were 2 restroom areas closed off? Not due to janitorial cleaning.

On top of that, in the women's restroom that was open by the food court 4 stalls were closed off leaving a line of 5 women waiting, including my child and I.

My family and I had to run around to find a restroom and finally found one available at JCPenney, but only two out of 4 sinks were available, with the other two sinks having signs on them saying out of order.

Hopefully this will be resolved soon. I could only assume why we experienced this, rather it was due to short staffing or trying to keep the coronavirus from spreading. However it was an inconvience and I had to pick up my child and literally run around the mall to a find a restroom. It felt like a game, like "where's...