Tamarac Mall: Why I've Chosen to Shoot it.

Before Tamarac Mall turned into a crap hole, it was filled with glee and memories. There was a Mrs. Field’s, a Claire’s, a Gap, and photo booths galore. Tamarac was truly a place where I was once able to enjoy myself.

Besides the closings of all the good stores, Tamarac had the brightness and life of a place for kids to hang out. I remember walking home from school with my friend, Danielle, and spending so much time gallivanting around on the escalators that our parents would be angry we were home so late. We would ride up and down those escalators, sitting on the arms holders, or sliding down the middle. Occasionally, the pressure alarm on it would beep, and we would take cover for a while, just to make sure no security guards caught us. If we got sick of the escalators, we would exchange sliding on them for riding up and down on the elevator.

The escalators and elevators weren’t the only good things about Tamarac. As a kid, I loved little trinkets and jewelry and stuff, so the Claire’s was a lot of fun to visit. I remember buying a fake lip ring, and then Danielle and I taking a bunch of photos in one of the photo booths. We would then commence buying dozens of cookies from Mrs. Field’s and eating them until we got sick.

One of the best things about the old Tamarac Mall was the Madstone movie theater. It wasn’t as expensive as its replacement, the Regency theater, and it always had the tastiest candies for cheap prices. I have many fond memories of that theater, like the time Danielle and I snuck into see Dracula 2000, which was rated R. After we saw it and came out of the theater, one of the employees stared straight at us, and said, “Next time you think about sneaking into a movie, consider bringing your parents.” We only walked off and laughed at her, like the little brats we were.

Now that Tamarac has lost all of its pizzazz and life, only old people visit it. Since I have a lot of fond memories from that Mall, I’ve decided to bring back the color and happiness that I once found there. It’s still got a glint of life, despite all the old people stores.