Indoor, enclosed malls have largely failed in the Midwest. Is that a nationwide trend as you see it, and why do you suppose?

I shop in St. Louis Missouri and nearly all the big, enclosed, indoor malls have failed or are struggling. I don’t understand that. There are several new malls that have the same overall configuration (stores facing into a central courtyard), but are ope to the elements. What’s the point of that? You have to walk the same distance, but unprotected from rain, snow, cold and hot.

Is this a localized trend, or is it different in your area? I would think that the more extreme the climate (hot, cold rain, snow) the more essential indoor malls would be.

We have one mall locally, and it’s losing it’s JC Penny anchor that it’s not likely to replace. Possibly the death knell of the whole mall, and I don’t understand why.

Disclaimer: I’m not a retail shopper. This is a legitimate query.