Jennifer Luna

Thrift shopping used to mean finding a gently used sweater for three bucks and feeling like a genius all week. Now it means dodging resellers with barcode scanners, navigating stores that smell like a basement married a gym locker, and wondering why a chipped mug costs more than it did new. Colorado’s thrift scene has … Read more20 Worst Thrift Stores in Colorado

You know things are getting serious when your bargain hunt in Oregon requires a safety helmet and a calculator. Some dollar stores here are less “treasure hunt” and more “obstacle course with mystery pricing.” You expect aisles of deals. You get aisles of stacked boxes that look like a physics experiment. At a certain age, … Read more20 Worst Dollar Stores in Oregon

There comes a point in life when your knees should not hurt more than the customer service at your local big box store. By 50, you have survived dial-up internet, orange shag carpet, and New Coke. You should not have to survive checkout lines that move slower than dial-up. Some chains in Alabama seem to … Read more17 Worst Retail Chains in Alabama

Retail used to be about friendly clerks and free gift wrap; now it is about survival and self-checkout. You used to chat about grandkids while someone bagged your items. Now you argue with a blinking machine that thinks your bread is “an unexpected item in the bagging area.” You are better off negotiating a car … Read more17 Most Disappointing Retail Chains in Arkansas

California shoppers have mastered the art of dodging retail disasters like they dodge potholes on the 405. Some stores make you wonder if bankruptcy is contagious. Between safety violations that would make OSHA inspectors weep and customer service so bad it feels personal, the Golden State has become a graveyard for retail chains. These 17 … Read more17 Most Disappointing Retail Chains in California

Whoever said money can’t buy happiness clearly never went mall shopping in Texas with comfortable shoes. The Lone Star State treats shopping like a competitive sport. These malls come equipped with hotels because you’ll need somewhere to sleep between shopping marathons. Some locations offer valet parking, concierge services, and art collections worth millions. Your fitness … Read more15 Best Malls in Texas

Idaho’s relationship with shopping malls is practical, not passionate. When winter temperatures drop and summer heat climbs, a climate-controlled building with ample parking becomes genuinely appealing. The state’s malls survived the retail apocalypse that gutted centers elsewhere, mainly because they never aimed for the stars in the first place. You’re better off thinking of them … Read more15 Best Malls in Idaho

Some people collect stamps, others collect national parks; at a certain age, you start collecting dead malls. You remember when every fountain had coins, every anchor had crowds, and every trip had a pretzel. Now the biggest attraction is the climate controlled walking loop. You spot one store that has outlived three different department chains … Read more17 Worst Malls in Idaho

If you ever want to feel young again, visit a mall that clearly has not updated anything since your 20s. The decor is straight out of a sitcom rerun. Background music jumps from 80s ballads to 90s boy bands without irony. You half expect to see your old hair style in a reflection you do … Read more17 Worst Malls in Kentucky

You know you are over 50 when you recognize more former mall names than current pop stars. The directory in your head still lists anchors that vanished years ago. You remember when a new mall meant progress, not a future demolition project. Once the parking lots are filled by noon on Saturdays. Now the biggest … Read more17 Worst Malls in Ohio