Counter Culture

Check out this cool animation pointed out to us on Wal-Mart’s store growth created by FlowingData.

It shows, in an interesting graphic presentation, Wal-Mart’s growth throughout the country since 1964.

We think it kind of looks like bombs dropping. Click on the image below and see what you think.

From: FlowingData

Ah, the 1950s. Those were simpler times. (If you don’t count the Cold War, McCarthyism and crazy movies). One not-so-crazy movie that we’ve found, courtesy of the people at the Malls of America blog, is a PR spot entitled “Shopping Can Be Fun” from 1957 about Hillsdale Shopping Center, in San Mateo, CA.

According to Wikipedia, the center was built by Bohannon Development Co., which still owns it, in 1954. Hillsdale was built as an open-air center, then converted into a mall in 1982. Kind of the opposite of what is going on now, huh?

After the jump, check out the film, which nicely illustrates the time period.
Continue reading ‘Weekend Viewing: Shopping Can Be Fun’