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| - Desert Sky did such a good job of reinventing itself as a big neighborhood mall for a largely Hispanic, working-class neighborhood that the Wall Street Journal did an article about it.
If you're not from the neighborhood, visiting is kind of an anthropological experience, and you need to be up for that more than for "quick! find what I need!" shopping. One former store is now Curacao, which is sort of the Latin American version of the old Service Merchandise, only with a focus on offering consumer credit to the underbanked. (Remember catalog showrooms? So 1980s!)
The mall stores are a mix of familiar retail chains and local stores. The local ones do come and go; but in our chain-centric world, I think it's cool to see local entrepreneurial spirit. Apparently the locals do, too, as on a weekend afternoon, the place is packed.
Another entire former department store -- I think it's the old Mervyn's -- is now an indoor swap meet. So really, you will have the best time if you're in the mood for an indoor swap meet but also need to pick up a couple of things from a major chain store and also have a craving for some Mexican street food and maybe spiced nuts. Desert Sky can do that thing, and it can do it with mariachi performances in center court.
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