There’s an abandoned outlet mall about two hours outside of LA in Barstow. We often end up stopping here for lunch around the holidays when we are driving to (or back from) Colorado, and this outlet mall always fascinates me. It was built in the mid-‘80s, which is clear from basically every visual cue throughout the place, from the color choices to the fonts.
It is strange place to walk around. All the signs read “outlet” which gives it the feeling of a set prop, as though someone built it with the idea in mind, but no real concept of what to do once it existed. It’s the 1980’s American version of fake western town—instead of a saloon you have a food court. Instead of the hoof prints of horses, you’ll find the tire tracks from people doing donuts.
