Bay Area holiday shopping shows some malls empty and struggling, others packed and thriving

This was the last weekend before Christmas and Hanukkah, so shoppers who have made their lists were checking them twice for last-minute gifts.

Some malls were seeing big crowds. And others? Not so much.

The final push is on to get those shopping lists cleared.

Chances are though, you’ll find very different experiences at different malls.

At the San Francisco Centre Mall, the holiday decor is splendid. However, the former Westfield Mall is struggling.

MORE: Last-minute Bay Area shoppers search for holiday gifts, experiences from SF to Walnut Creek

The crowds are scarce, the escalator hardly packed. Many of the store windows are empty.

“It’s nice not to have a lot of crowds to go through,” said Kayley Doherty from Walnut Creek.

Stephanie Doherty brought her family to San Francisco to go look at all the lights and then to shop at San Francisco Centre. She says there’s a big difference in the way things look.

“We grew up going to Nordstrom. We grew up going to all these other stores,” Doherty said. “There’s more vacancies, less stores, less restaurants, so that part is sad. Hopefully it will come back.”

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