Phoenix Mall, also named Centre City Plaza, usually referred to as The Mall, was a shopping mall in Sector 10 of the city. It was the home of the Mall Rats after the virus, and the old shops were used as bedrooms for the inhabitants.
Protected by a grille and alarm system, it initially served as a secure central shelter from hostile tribes like the Locos and Demon Dogz, in addition to being a source for food and water, containing large amounts of canned food and a water tank on the roof.
When the Mall Rats distributed the antidote and used their power to try and rebuild society, it became a central point in the city. It was used as distribution center, court room and meeting place for the tribe leaders, and and a trading market was opened there.
Being the place where Zoot died, the mall was occupied by The Chosen and used as their base when they took control of the city, but the Mall Rats got the mall back after helping to defeat them. They continued to stay there through the reign of the Technos, until they were forced to leave the city because of a new virus.
Description and layout
Exterior
The front main and car park entrance.
The mall was housed inside a large, cream coloured building called the Centre City Plaza. It was surrounded by asphalted streets in the front and back, and a grassy field with trees on one of the sides. The front facade had a person entrance with an overhanging arch with a sign saying "Centre City Plaza," and to the left of that was a large vehicle entrance to the carpark saying "Centre City Plaza Carpark".
The back had a metal port marked "Centre City Plaza," which was probably the old goods delivery entrance. Besides this was a zig-zag stairway going all the way to the top of the building, which also had entrances to the mall. On the roof there were two solar cell panels and a water tank. On the grassy side was a manhole which served as the entrance to the sewers, and later a playground with a swing set.
Car park
There was a large car park in the mall building, which contained several different areas and went over several floors. The mall was usually entered through the car park, as level 2 and 3 of the car park had entrances to the the mall.
Interior
The inside of the mall had yellow walls and floors, except the shops which had individual colors and styles.
Ground floor
Floor plan of the mall's ground floor (exluding the sewers area).
As well as individual rooms, there was a communal kitchen and cafe. The cafe was generally used for meetings as well as a place to eat. The cafe was located on the upper level, at the top of the stairs.
The main entrance used to the ground floor of the mall was from level 2 of the car park, which could be closed off with a grille controlled from the top floor. Beyond this were more grilles which could be lowered to create a cage. Within the grille area was a boutique, a headwear shop called Headspace, an antique shop called Baroque Antiques and Penny's Fabrics, which was closed off with planks. Beyond the grille area, the boarded up jewelry shop and Mainline Music were on the right side, and Rossini's Shoes, Furry Friends Pet Shop, Huzzo's and the electrical shop on the left, with the electrical shop in the corner.
In the center of the floor stood a fountain with a phoenix statue and overhanging lights, surrounded by an open space, with a large double staircase leading to the top floor directly in front of it. Behind the staircase, around the corner of the electrical shop, the magazine shop and New Ways Superette could be found.
Another large space was located around the corner of Mainline Music, to the right of the superette. This was mainly used for the Mall Rats Trading Market and the Chosen's shrine. To the right was a red brick wall with green doors, some of which led to the sewers. On the opposite side were the shops Xo's Green Grocery, a fruit and vegetables shop and The Meat Shop. At the end of the market area was a lift shaft surrounded by a staircase - both of which led to the service area on the top floor - two sliding doors which were boarded up, and a spiral staircase which led to Leslie's Pharmacy on the top floor.
Layout changes
After the Mall Rats defeated The Technos under Ram's reign, the ground floor was majorly renovated. The walls between Baroque Antiques, the Jewellery shop and Mainline Music were taken down to make space for a new café and kitchen. Rossini's Shoes was moved next to the new café from its original location on the opposite side of the floor. This effectively blocked the entrance to the market and sewers area and left it inaccessible.
Penny's Fabrics was removed to make room for an extended Headspace, which it previously shared a cut-through wall with. The space left behind after Rossini's Shoes was used for a larger Furry Friends. Morse Booth, the magazine shop and the superette were completely removed, leaving only a wall behind.
In conclusion, this reduced the amount of rooms on the ground floor from 14 to 5 plus a café, but the rooms left behind were much larger and more spacious.
Top floor
The top floor was separated into two main areas, and also held the service area and mall management areas.
The first area, which contained most of the shops, was directly above the phoenix fountain area on the first floor, and encircled by a balcony going in front of the shops. The large staircase from the first floor led directly to the café, which was used as the main gathering space for the Mallrats. Going along the left wall (looking from the café), were the shops Uncle Harry's Takeaways, Velvet, Home Design, and the large furniture and bed shop - which was used as a common sleeping space. Along the right wall were Smart Art Art Supplies, Skins and Exposure. At the opposite end of the café - above the grille area on the first floor - was an entrance to the service area and mall management area to the left, and an exit to level 3 of the carpark to the right.
The other area was directly above the market area on the first floor, and could be accessed from the spiral staircase. It contained only Leslie's Pharmacy and the tool shop, which was used as Tai-San's laboratory when making the antidote. A bridge from these two shops led to the service area.
Basement
Below the mall was a basement located on ground level, as the mall interior was located on level 2 and 3 of the building. During the reign of the Chosen, the rebels used it to enter the mall.
Sewers
History
Background
Located in Sector 10, the central commercial part of the city, the mall was a shopping centre for the wealthy. The car park used to be full of top of the range vehicles, symbols of their owners' wealth, status and importance.[1]
After the virus, the mall was largely looted by tribes or strays in need of food and supplies. Graffiti on the walls indicates that the Demon Dogz, and possibly other tribes, had visited or inhabited the mall. At some point, Jack settled down in the mall and made Morse Booth, the electrical shop, his personal room, where he slept and worked on various inventions. This was located on the lower level of the mall.
Series 1
The group that would eventually become the Mall Rats ended up in the mall in search of sanctuary. The shops in the mall were used as rooms for the tribe. Cloe, Patsy, Paul, Bob the dog, Salene, Amber and Dal initially slept in Living Space, the furniture and bedding shop on the upper level, which was the biggest room in the mall. It would later continue to be occupied by the younger kids, while the older ones moved to separate, more private locations. Lex and Ryan moved into the Boutique next to the entrance on the ground floor, as they were supposed to be keeping the mall secure, while Zandra moved into the lingerie shop Skins on the upper level.
When Bray arrived with Trudy, she gave birth to Brady in Living Space before they moved next door to Home Design with the new born Brady. Bray eventually found his own room in the head wear shop Headspace on the ground floor, next to the entrance opposite of Lex and Ryan.
- Alarm in the sewers...
- Jack's food storage. Election. Trial.
- The cage: Ebony and Jack
When Tai-San came to the mall, she moved into Leslie's Pharmacy, located in a small and reclusive space above the market area, where she could meditate in peace.
When Sasha arrived for a few days, he made himself at home in the music shop.
The mall was invaded. Firstly, by Top Hat who invaded, with his Tribe Circus and took over, using the women of the Tribe as slaves.
Series 2
- Lex moving into Zandra's old room, then the antique shop.
- Danni in the art shop.
- Antidote laboratory and distribution centre.
- Ebony in Rossini's shoes. Militia protection.
- Explosion in the lab.
- Court of law.
- Trading market.
- Weddings.
When Alice and Ellie moved into the Mall, they moved into the Delicatessen on the lower level.
In season two, the Mallrats opened the Mall up for a market to be integrated, a test trial as they worked to try and get the tribes to work with each other rather than feud constantly. It was partly successful, but after season two didn't continue inside the mall although traders were constantly seen in the city.
Series 3
Later in season three, it would become the base of operations for The Chosen, although a handful of the Mallrats remained and eventually they were able to defeat the Guardian and take back their home.
- Walls painted blue. Zoot posters, red hands, graffiti and banners. Property put in boxes marked "property of the chosen."
- Zoot's shrine in market area.
- Guardian and secret rooms + Tai-San in Mall Management.
- Hospital wing.
- Rebels in through basement.
- Alice and Ned in Headspace, opening to Andy and Tally in Penny's Fabrics.
- Pride in Velvit.
- Amber and Bray in art shop.
- Production of Ems.
Series 4
- Temporary hospital.
- Computers and headsets for paradise.
When Dee moves to the mall she moves into the butcher shop located on the lower floor.
As city leader Salene makes an office in the antique shop.
Series 5
In season five, the café was moved downstairs nearer the exits to help with quick getaways.
Shops and areas
Shops
Ground floor
| Image | Name | Inhabitants | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boutique | Lex and Ryan (Series 1)
Salene and Ryan (Series 2 and 3) Lex (Series 5) |
Clothes and accessories shop. | |
| Headspace | Bray (Series 1 and 2)
Ned (Series 3) Amber (Series 5) |
||
| Baroque Antiques | Tutoring room. Courtroom. | ||
| Penny's Fabrics | Andy and Tally (Series 3) | ||
| Jewelry | Lex (Series 2)Tai-San (Series 3) | ||
| Rossini's Shoes | Ebony (Series 2 and 3) | ||
| Mainline Music | CD Shop. | ||
| Furry Friends | KC (Series 3) | Pet shop. | |
| Huzzo's | Sasha (Series 1) | Instrument shop. | |
| Morse Booth | Jack (Series 1, 2 and 3) | ||
| Magazines | Dal (Series 1 and 2) | ||
| New Ways Superette | Alice and Ellie (Series 2) | Lex's leader H.Q. The Amulet office. | |
| Xo's Green Grocery | Fruits and vegetable shop. | ||
| The Meat Shop |
Top floor
| Image | Name | Inhabitants | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposure | Zandra (Series 1)
Lex (Series 2) May (Series 3) |
||
| Living Space | Salene, Cloe, Patsy, Paul, KC and Bob (Series 1)
Cloe, Patsy and KC (Series 2) Trudy and Brady (Series 3) |
Furniture and bed shop.
Common sleeping space. | |
| Skins | Bray and Amber (Series 3) | Leather shop. Quarantine room. | |
| Smart Art | Danni (Series 2)
Luke (Series 3) |
Art supplies shop. | |
| Home Design | Trudy and Brady (Series 1 and 2)
Patsy (Series 3) |
||
| Velvit | Amber (Series 1) | Candy shop. | |
| Milano | Cafe and kitchen. | ||
| Úncle Harry's Takeaways | Fast food shop. | ||
| Tool Shop | Antidote laboratory. | ||
| Leslie's Pharmacy | Tai-San (Series 1 and 2) |
Areas
References
- ↑ The Tribe: Birth of the Mall Rats — Chapter 13