Lisa tagged me for the mall meme! This is the most difficult meme I’ve ever completed. It has taken me almost a solid week to figure out which six stores I’d like to visit in my mall, and I still don’t have anything specific. I actually asked some serious shoppers which ones they would choose because I could only think of a couple of stores. Here are the “rules”:

You get to create your own Mall. Choose 6 stores that would definitely be included in your ideal one stop mall. Then as a bonus you can pick your favorite restaurant and fast food eatery to be located there, too. After you’ve created it, post it and tag some bloggers to join in the fun.

Now, y’all know I don’t enjoy shopping. I’ll just borrow the words of Rabbit to explain: “I don’t seek retail therapy, it’s more like I need therapy after shopping!” Amen and amen.

On the other hand, I do have some favorite stores. Weird, huh? I should say I have favorite types of stores. I cannot say that I have specific stores that I frequent…unless you count Publix. A girl’s gotta eat.

First stop: If I must have one…Clothes Store.
I like for names to be obvious. My aunt told me the other day that she went shopping at Kohl’s. My response? “What is Kohl’s?” (I know how to spell it because I read it at Rabbit’s mall.) The same thing happened the first time I heard of Old Navy. “Is that where you buy clothes for sailing?” The name doesn’t tell me anything about what is inside! I went to Belk to spend my birthday money, and I could not believe the stuff they were trying to pass off as clothing! Sheesh. My aunt who enjoys shopping has said that I must visit Stein Mart, though, so I’ve added that to my to-do list next time I feel like punishing myself.

Flashback: When I was a kid, we always went shopping at Mrs. Phillips’ store. Mrs. Phillips was a sweet woman in her early sixties who owned a clothing store on Main Street. The store smelled of new clothes and old leather. The ceilings were very high and the floors were hard wood. Mrs. Phillips had known me since birth and had been dressing me for as long as I could remember. When I got old enough to ride my bike a couple of blocks to Main Street, Mom sent me over to buy her some pantyhose one day. All I had to do was say, “Mrs. Phillips, Mom needs some tan pantyhose.” She picked them out and put it on our tab. So, my clothing store would be owned by a woman in her early sixties who knows my size and what I like and she’d put all my purchases on my parents’ tab.

Stop 2: Running Specialty Store (New Balance)
I love to try on running shoes and check out the latest in running apparel.

Stop 3: Office Supply/Stationery Store (Office Depot and Hallmark)
I can spend hours looking over pens, papers, paper clips, cards, notebooks, journals, folders, crates, desks, bookcases, staplers, pencils, crayons, day-planners, desk organizers, candy dishes, sketch pads, software, photo albums, card stock paper, copy paper, personalized paper, notepads, binders, labels, envelopes, bags, tissue paper, tape and dispensers…Again, I rarely buy anything other than my favorite pen and a 5-Star Notebook, but I enjoy looking.

Stop 4: Book Store
Duh. This is where I spend money. However, my favorite bookstore is small and owned by people who 1. know something about literature and 2. actually read the books they sell. Only bookstores like that don’t exist anymore. I went to BAM the other evening. I was looking for Thoreau. I couldn’t find him anywhere. So, I went to the big information station, and a very friendly fella asked if he could help me.

“Why, yes. I’m trying to find Thoreau. I’ve looked through all of your classics section, and I can’t find him anywhere.”

He types “thorough” in the search box. !!!!!!! Then, “thurow.” !!!!!!

Nevermind.

Stop 5: Coffee (or tea) and cookies. Besides the fact that I love cookies, this particular addition to my mall would enhance the aroma and my overall shopping experience.

Stop 6: Make-up Store
Believe it or not, I enjoy perusing the lip gloss, eye colors, lotions, and gels. I can really get excited about skin care. I even smell all the new perfumes if I have time.

So there you have it. My mall that doesn’t exist.

I am going to tag the Kims (Lifesong and Mercy Days) because I know they both love to shop til they drop!

Updated to tag Kelly.