When you live 15 minutes away from the Mall of America, you'd never think twice that this it's the biggest mall in the United States. It’s crazy to me that so many people across the world specifically travel here just to make a trip to this certain mall. Working there is a whole different story.
Working at the Mall of America has its perks just like any other place. Like I said, because there are so many different people coming in and out from so many different places, it’s fun to hear about why they are here and what they think about the mall or what they are shopping for, etc. Everyday there are a handful of people that speak a different language, most likely because they aren’t from here and they’re from a completely different country. It’s fun working in retail to see their amazement on how huge our mall actually is. The mall is also fun to people watch, I mean everyone does it, don’t they? I’ve seen and talked to some of the craziest people and have dealt with a hand full of scenarios that I never would have thought would happen while working in a retail job.
Because I go to the mall everyday for work, I now know where everything is. So now when someone asks me the most commonly asked question, “Where is your nearest bathroom?” or “What's the fastest way to get to the Nike store?” I can tell them without hesitation.
I remember when I was younger and would go to the mall basically every weekend to walk around and go shopping, spending endless hours and going to all of my favorite stores. Now when I go, I know exactly where to go and what’s the fastest way to get there. Also, now that I work at the mall constantly, in a way, I dread being there when I don’t have to work. I look at it as my work place, not somewhere I want to hangout now. With a mall that big, there are so many people everywhere constantly. On average, 40 million people visit the mall each year. Walking through the mall, you know how to dodge slow walkers, the strollers, the gawkers, and the window shoppers. It’s hard when you’re in a rush and all you can see in front of you is a crowd of people in your way. The hardest people to dodge are the kiosks and I think everyone knows that. They are trying to sell you the "best hand lotion" or telling you to "try out this new product on your hair." Going there everyday, you would think the certain people would realize that I also work there, but they still ask. I just keep my head down and rush to avoid the continuous remarks.
It’s always fun to see that the mall keeps on improving and adding on. I get to see all the new stores before everyone else does usually, because not everyone goes to the mall everyday like I do. Every worker I know at the MOA wishes the mall would add on one more thing, parking. You always have to plan ahead when trekking out to the mall with parking. Especially when the holiday season slowly rolls around you just know there won’t be any spots left. I sometimes have to leave for work an hour before my clock in time just to be able to find one spot. And once you find a spot, you finally get a sense of relief, just to see that you're extremely far away from the building. But hey, at least you found a spot, that's a success in itself.
I’m happy to say that years from now, I can look back and in my early 20’s and say I got to experience what it’s like to work in the Mall of America because I know most people don’t have that opportunity or know what it’s like to have a day in the life of a mall worker.
