For some time I have wanted to compare a real town shopping district  to one of the fakes that are popping up around the country.    We humans have this acute sense of the authentic, leading me to ask, is it really possible to copy the “new urbanist” vibe?  Is “un-malling” the malls really working out?  Do the slick brand specific storefronts look any different inside an enclosed mall than they do on a city street, fake or not?  These questions stumps social intellects and planners alike.  As an architect I do not presume an opinion except to say that,  all retailers must fight for their piece of an often saturated market.  A well defined visual impact in a perpetually evolving retail environment, be it mall or un-mall, can mean the difference between success and failure.