The mall is a ubiquitous part of the modern landscape. Acting as the modern town center, the mall provides space for shopping and commerce, as well as social interaction and cultural events. But the careful design of the mall articulates a vision of society that goes beyond the mall's function as a shopping location. As social commentator Molly Ivans proclaimed upon her first visit to the Mall of America, "Great Caesar's armpit! Sweet suffering catfish! Holy Gamoly! I have been to the pyramids of America. I have seen the cathedral of commerce. Our Parthenon, our Coliseum, our Chartres." Malls have been conferred with a kind of religiosity because of the abundance and frequency of shoppers seeking their treasures. The influence of the mall is evidenced by its placement on Consumer Reports ' list of the top 50 wonders in the past 50 years that have revolutionized the lives of consumers...