Are Shopping Malls Going The Same Way As High Streets?

Boarded up shop fronts are nothing new and there's no doubt that since 2009 the number of them on our High Streets has increased dramatically. This has been matched, in my opinion, by an increase in the number of charity shops too but these don't seem to be replacing shops that go, there are still boarded up shop fronts in many towns. So a High Street with mostly chain stores, charity shops, empty shops and some local shops isn't a good sign and I do as much as I can to support locally owned shops whenever I can. But the boarded-up syndrome seems to be spreading to large shopping malls. 

Now there have always been shops in malls that are in the process of being refurbished or taken over by another store but lately I've noticed far more boarded up store fronts in a couple of malls I visit. This seems to be an economic indicator that others are missing but is one that I predict will start to be noticed by mainstream commentators in the coming months. We've had a string of closures of large chain stores in the recent months and while some are continuing to trade for the time being while new owners are sought by the Administrators, most will start to close for good in the coming months. I just wonder what businesses will step up to replace them. All Malls are full of clothing, electronic goods and 'gift shops', surely there can't be any more to come in? Maybe the Malls are starting to go the same way as the High Street as the recession starts to bite ever deeper.