Now the once vaunted shopping malls you often found these chains inside of are getting hit hard as well. Drive to your local mallFairlane Town Center once owned by mall company Starwood just handed the keys over to the bank. “Without department stores malls are threatened. He says over the years department stores eroded because of specialty brands starting stores, then outlets, then the big box stores took over hardware and furniture. One of the things Bieri does warn about shopping malls is the fact they are going to need massive amounts of investment to keep strong.