Cusco Mall

     After our trip to the mall in Cusco, I noticed that there seemed to be very few categories of different stores. I primarily saw large department stores, but also ice cream shops, athletic wear, phone stores, pharmacies, and baby stores. There were a few other stores outside of these categories, but these were the biggest sections represented. The mall is a direct reflection of what is valued by the typical Cusco consumer. Malls are usually built more out of luxury than necessity, and this mall showed that. There were McDonalds and Burger King stands that only sold ice cream, showing that they were meant for fun, not a full meal. The movie theater and arcade also demonstrated that even though there is much poverty in Cusco, there is still a need for entertainment. Athletic shops also show that there is an importance placed on time having fun playing sports. There was even a section just for taking trendy pictures.

    The "fun" stores were surrounded by ones that represented more basic needs of a less wealthy population. The department stores were full of furniture and different types of food, things that everyone needs. The baby stores are indicative of the need to take care of the youth. Adults tend to not grow out of clothing, so the stores of baby clothing and pre-teen clothing represent buying out of need, when the children grow at a faster rate and need more clothes more often. The dichotomy between entertainment and need in the mall show how Cusco is trending towards catering to the tourists, while still being supported by the local population.