dead malls

First, U.S. manufacturing collapsed under the pressure from low-wage labor overseas, leaving the landscape dotted with hollowed-out plants and gutted factories. Now, assailed factors from online shopping to the economic downturn, the retail sector is suffering too, bequeathing us an increasing number of abandoned -- some say dead -- malls.

Last weekend, I went to the Westfield Galleria in Roseville, a suburb of Sacramento, to check out the grand opening of its new wing of stores. I guess Westfield has a lot of confidence that Roseville is recession-proof and residents still have money to spend -- the new shops included Louis Vuitton,...