For some time, I’ve been talking about the closure of small malls in themed sims – and the disastrous effect this is having on the landlords whose ability to continue to find the tier to run those sims depends on the income they get from those sims.
And it continues.
Today I learned of the closure of one of the sights of New Babbage – the Mermaid Arcade, located on the docks in Port Babbage.
“The original Mermaid Arcade was in Babbage Square, then was rebuilt to the familiar white colonades when Port Babbage,” according to Mosseveno Tenk, the Mayor (and owner of the New Babbage region). “It was last of the 3 anchor builds on the old Port Babbage … Many residents recall getting their start by renting out a shop in the 2 storey arcade. The interior had the feel of old walking malls of the late 19th century. Changes within Second Life that made outlet shops and commercial land less of a necessity than in the early years, combined with the slagging real world economy of the early 10’s, brought the gates of the Arcade to a close in December of 2011.”
The building was de-rezzed today.
New Babbagers and other friends have expressed regret at seeing it go. For some it was the first place in New Babbage that they visited and, from the stores located there, they ventured out to explore the wider region and, in some cases, became residents and / or regulars.
“It was a well known sight on the waterfront,” says Ceejay Writer. “My first place visited was the old Willow Tea Room, but the Mermaid Arcade was where I spent a lot of time!”
This may be the first significant closure of the year, but it looks like it won’t be the last. Currently, Designing Worlds is working on a film about one of the oldest and most loved music venues in Second Life, which is also in danger of closure. We’ll be looking at that, and the changes in inworld spending, on our second show of the season.
One thing is clear – if Second Life is to continue with the current level of tier, the question of how residents can generate the income to sustain places of entertainment – whether they are music venues, roleplay areas or themed regions – is something that needs to be urgently addressed, before Second Life becomes largely composed of sims consisting of residential homes or main store locations.
Prim Perfect 
Looks to me that SL is more and more like an economy where everything goes in taxes (the tier).
At the end no incentive is left to produce any value.
What has been the ‘gain’ of the SL Marketplace has cost the grid dearly; even if the land business is completely disregarded. It’s that critical ‘sense of place’ that goes with it, when merchants do what they must to survive.
Babbage certainly isn’t alone in this issue, and as many a merchant can tell you, just making rent is daunting. In the quest to expand SL beyond its digital borders and into casual website shopping, the cost has been immense.