Holiday Hassle

It won't be long before the sounds of bells and Christmas music fill shopping malls across the country. Whether it's the College Mall here in Bloomington or the plethora of malls in Indianapolis, the aisles and lines will be a headache to some, but a great experience for others. \nSerious shoppers looking to go somewhere big can check out Indiana's largest mall, Castleton Square. Castleton Square is like a bigger version of College Mall, your traditional shopping mall with a few restaurants every once in awhile for tired shoppers to take a break. T.G.I. Friday's and the Garden Café Food Court provide shoppers with a variety of food.\n"I like all the malls in Indy, but Castleton is by far my favorite," says Ashley Charlesworth, a senior. "Circle Centre is far too busy. I can find a lot of cute party clothes at Castleton."\nCharlesworth says she likes to meet her mom at Castleton and do some serious shopping at the many stores it has to offer. Big name stores include L.S. Ayres, Von Maur, Sears and Galyan's Trading Company. Over 130 specially shops help make up this popular mall.\nThe ultimate shopping experience in Indianapolis always includes a trip to Circle Centre Mall in the heart of downtown Indy. The four levels high, two block long shopping center is anchored by its two popular department stores, Parisian and Nordstrom. It's the only Nordstrom in the state of Indiana and therefore makes Circle Centre stand out from other shopping malls in town.\nCircle Centre prides itself with a list of stores and restaurants offered nowhere else in Indianapolis. Hollister Co., Orgins, Pacers Home Court II and the Colts Pro Shop are just a few of the retailers you won't find anywhere else in town. Be prepared for a long day, though; the mall is fairly spread out and is usually always a hopping place and very busy.\nDana Moore, an employee of Franklin Covey at Circle Centre, sits among planners and paper products and says she sees college students everyday.\n"Circle Centre is a great place to shop in Indy," Moore says. "There's a lot of variety here and it's just downtown."\nMoore says the only downfalls of Circle Centre are the prices. The variety and chance of a great shopping experience are excellent, but the mall wasn't made for a college budget. Moore also says it'd be her favorite place to shop, even if she didn't work there. \n"They have everything here," Moore says. "Why go anywhere else?"\nCircle Centre isn't only about shopping for clothes. There are jewelry stores and specialty shops that line the center of the mall and it's aisles. Shoppers can even get their teeth whitened at Brite Smile, the professional teeth whitening center.\nCircle Centre doesn't compare with the upscale shopping found at The Fashion Mall at Keystone, which is just down the road from Castleton. Located at the intersection of 86th Street and Keystone Avenue, this shopping venue isn't for those on any sort of a tight budget. The cleanliness and appearance of the place will tell shoppers that right off the bat.\nMatt Devine, a junior, says the Fashion Mall at Keystone is his favorite shopping venue in Indianapolis because they have all the stores Bloomington doesn't have.\n"I know a lot of people go to Keystone because they have Abercrombie for Kids," Devine says. "Keystone is better than Castleton and Circle Centre because it is smaller and easier to get around. Places like Castleton, you have to walk a country mile just to get around the mall to your favorite stores."\nDevine says he makes the trip to the Fashion Mall about once a month, but it isn't for a college budget. Stores like Banana Republic and Parisian make it a ritzier place to shop, Devine says, and while he does have a college budget, he breaks the rules and shops there anyway.\nCharlesworth says the Fashion Mall is entirely too expensive.\n"I don't like shopping at the Fashion Mall," Charlesworth says. "It's ridiculous how expensive that place is."\nNo matter what the serious shopper is looking for, it can be found in Indianapolis. Lots of students hit up Indianapolis' Broad Ripple for the nightlife it offers, but besides nightlife, Broad Ripple has a variety of shopping stores. It's just 20 minutes north of downtown and offers lots of unique shops and art galleries. Broad Ripple is also popular for it's antiques and vintage clothing.\nOther malls in Indianapolis include Washington Square, Greenwood Park and Lafayette Square Mall. \nJust up SR 37 is fabulous shopping at many different venues. With Christmas just around the corner, those wanting a serious shopping experience will probably be headed up to Indianapolis and make a day, or even a weekend, out of it.\n"Shopping in Indianapolis is great," Charlesworth says. "I love the malls and the stores and wouldn't want to go anywhere else to do my shopping"