empty storefronts. you have to wonder how did we get here? it started with the big housing boom, then all the construction start. if we build it, they will come. but that did not happen when the bottom of the housing market fell out. what s happening now is mall vacancies are at their highest point in a decade. people are spending less and they re spending online as well. you re seeing major retailers are closing up shop. when was the last time you saw linens and things, circuit city or a borders. borders is in the middle of dealing with its bankruptcy. landlords are having to get creative. they re scared. they won t be making any money if no one is there leasing their space. so what they re doing is they re letting even colleges use the space in malls to have classrooms there. they re renting the space for entertainment and dance studios as well. there are even amusement park rides in some of these strip centers just to draw people in. because once you lose that anchor store like the