Erie News NOW
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Shopping malls are seeing an unexpected resurgence, this time fueled by teens and tweens who are turning the once‑struggling retail hubs into their go‑to hangout spots.

Educators say the trend reflects what’s happening in schools. “You’re seeing a big push for social and emotional learning and teaching digital literacy,” said Josephine Hunt, a teacher and instructional coach at Northern Virginia Community College. “That’s leading more teens to seek out real in‑person interaction, similar to previous generations.”

Hunt said the pattern feels familiar. “That’s actually my generation, too, and I used to really enjoy finding my friends and taking a bus over to the mall. It was a major social component of our generation — just walking around.”