The Dying Malls of Pittsburgh

"Experts say it's no surprise that area malls are taking it on the chin, with retail sales slumping nationwide and big-name chains such as Circuit City, Boscov's, KB Toys and Steve & Barry's going bankrupt.

"It's a tough environment for anybody serving consumers," said George Whalin, chief executive officer of Retail Management Consultants near San Diego.

Nor are the struggles limited to the Pittsburgh region. Erin Hershkowitz, spokeswoman for the New York-based International Council of Shopping Centers, said malls throughout the country are grappling with similar issues.

"People are afraid of losing their jobs as unemployment is on the rise. People are losing their homes. This certainly is going to have an impact on malls," she said. "There are just a lot of consumers who are unable to spend like they used to.""