Q: What does the Local Guides program mean to you?
I am an active-duty U.S. Army military officer stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia, which is located in the Tri-Cities Area (Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Petersburg) about an hour southeast of Richmond. This is the kind of landscape where the terrain is flat, the forests endless, the roads long, and the people well-spread out. Having grown up along the Northeast metropolis and its vibrant cities, and having lived in and around the Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia area prior to my military service, it was a bit of a shell shock.
Sometimes as I drove to work I would see signs for a place called “Southpark Mall” near Fort Lee but in my year stationed at the base never ventured. I generally like malls, having most recently when I lived in Northern Virginia having access to vibrant, astounding malls like Tyson’s Corner Center, Fair Oaks, etc. The area south of Richmond generally lacks malls and the only one I had ventured to was Chesterfield Towne Center quite a distance away.
After having reviewed every location in and around Fort Lee I’ve been to on Google Maps I eventually one day typed “malls” into Google Maps just to see - and behold I found out that “Southpark Mall” was indeed a mall. Some time passed and I decided to venture out one day during lunch and see this mall. I was a bit hesitant at first - knowing the area and region I was surprised a mall could sustain itself here and the reviews for the place were not too pleasant as unfortunately the area does experience moderate levels of crime. Nonetheless, to it I went.
It was a much shorter drive than I thought it would be from Fort Lee, just about 10-15 minutes - I was shocked it was so close yet prior to this not really on my radar. When I arrived at the mall from the outside it looked a bit rustic - it wasn’t shining or glistening or full of lights but had a humble outer casing. Upon venturing into the mall however I felt something was different…it was almost like I had been transported back in time to a well-preserved artifact from an age when malls were the bread and butter of America.
The mall’s design made it feel actually bigger than maybe it truly was, as it was essentially one very long hallway with wings that weren’t too deep. The halls were all clean but in also in a way that made it feel like I was entering history - there was just the feel of a different time, a different age about it, like you could feel the memories of the footsteps that once stampeded these halls.
Upon looking closer too I found fascinating the contrast between old and new as while the architecture of the mall was old many of the stores were, in fact, modern brand name and lively stores. You could find modern clothing and technology stores and so much more…and even a theater! That’s something the supposedly better Chesterfield Town Center didn’t have going for it (for Chesterfield Town Center there is a theater in the area but it’s a separate stand alone facility you have to drive a good bit still to get to). There were also so many unique local shops too with small business owners trying to stand out in our modern commodity-driven market, which I found inspiring and fascinating as well.
Upon returning to Fort Lee I felt a sense of excitement - I had discovered something new that had been all this time right under my nose. I now enjoy walks through Southpark Mall often during lunch, taking in its atmosphere and history. I thank Google Maps and Local Guides for that - it allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and dip deeper into the community I am a part of. Thank you Local Guides!
