Society & Culture

Food Court In Session

by Justin McElroy & Steven Masuch

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Latest episodes

Kingsgate Mall

October 6, 2026 · 41 min

Celebrated in song, beloved by the city, totally average in terms of stores inside: why do people love Kingsgate Mall so much? Episode guest: provincial raconteur Bob Kronbauer. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen, www.echomenace.com
Henderson Place Mall

September 8, 2026 · 30 min

Henderson Place has a good food court, a good design, a good location, and yet, a third to a quarter of all its storefronts are empty. Why? Guest: health policy analyst Zahid Dosa. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen, www.echomenace.com
Haney Place Mall

August 24, 2026 · 38 min

There's no mystery on whether Haney Place Mall is any good. So we explore a more interesting question: what made it turn bad? Episode guest: Maple Ridge resident and IT manager Matt Aquin. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen…
Guildford Town Centre

August 10, 2026 · 38 min

It doesn’t have the buzz or transit connections of a Metrotown or Oakridge or Aberdeen, but could Surrey’s finest be the best mall in Metro Vancouver? Guest: labour lawyer Vyas Saran. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen, www.echomenace.com
Empire Centre

July 29, 2026 · 36 min

Smushed between much bigger Richmond options, does a great food court, one weird hallway, and one bad parking lot make a good mall? Episode Guest: Vancouver writer and journalist Christopher Cheung. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen…

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Denman Place

July 13, 2026 · 34 min

A small, old and dark mall, Denman is often derided — but is that justified? Justin and Steve invite their West End friend to make the best case for its community impact. Episode guest: Union organizer Stephanie Ryan. Theme music composed…
Crystal Mall

June 29, 2026 · 38 min

The year was 2000, and across the street from the mighty Metrotown, something new was coming to the City of Burnaby. Even with a famed planner and architect behind a new project, this plan for a new mall was raising eyebrows for all its…
Coquitlam Centre

June 15, 2026 · 38 min

Coquitlam Centre is a 1980s style suburban mall that has tried to stay relevant with renovations and buzzier retail options — but does it fully work? Episode Guest: Vancouver architect and project manager John Roddick. Theme music composed…
City Square

June 1, 2026 · 35 min

For a mall next to City Hall, City Square may fly under the radar — but it’s a fascinating mix of neighbourhood necessities and Vancouver history. Episode Guests: Vancouver journalists Jen St. Denis and Dan Fumano. Theme music composed by…
City of Lougheed

May 18, 2026 · 31 min

What happens to a mall when a redevelopment takes forever to take place? And what happens when a mall stops trying to be exciting, and in the process becomes a whole lot more interesting? Episode Guest: New Westminster resident and…
Central City

May 4, 2026 · 42 min

25 years ago, Surrey's big attempt at a big mall had goals of being "the Robson Street of Surrey". We fact check the reality. Episode Guest: Vancouver comedian Colin Sharp. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen, www.echomenace.com
Capilano Mall

April 20, 2026 · 34 min

The story of Capilano is the story of so many midsized suburban malls, but there's a few interesting details of this mall that make it worth debating. Episode Guest: Earnscliffe Strategies principal Amelia Hill. Theme music composed by Tom…

Full episode archive on Apple Podcasts →

About the show

Food Court In Session is a podcast, ranking, series of essays, and exploration of every mall in Metro Vancouver. Every two weeks, Justin McElroy, Steve Masuch and rotating guests explore a different mall in our region, as we debate and determine what a mall means in 2026, and which one in Metro Vancouver is truly the best. Come along with us on this very silly but worthwhile journey, as we go to new food courts, and debate old memories. Consider it less as a definitive ranking and more of an anthology of the walkable indoor commercial spaces of our city that inspire joy, annoyance, nostalgia and questions about their future. Theme music composed by Tom Whalen, https://echomenace.com