Yes, it seems this economic downturn has hit my hometown of Glendale, CA… and just in time too.

Last week, LA Times reported that General Growth, owners of the Glendale Galleria along with 200 other mega-malls, just filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. my peers and i grew up spending a good portion of our early teenage saturdays in this mall. When the first Apple store in the world opened, it came to the Glendale Galleria and me and my Apple-fan buddies stood in line for hours just to get in.  What are today’s teenagers going to be spending their time doing in Glendale, now that the Mall may be on its way out?  Thanks to the efforts of some local activists, Glendale just opened up its first ever community garden, just a few blocks from the mall. I hope this is an indication of the coming trend… more fun, less stuff!

-Babken DerGrigorian
Lead Organizer