Ran across an interesting post about East Hills Mall on a blog called Labelscar that's dedicated to documenting failed retail businesses with a focus on shopping malls. 

Labelscar -- the name comes from the mark left on a building after signage has been removed -- calls East Hills Mall "one of the most threatened malls in California. It doesn't take a genius to see why this place is having a hard time, because it has practically everything stacked against it". 

The post then runs through some bullet points highlighting the negatives, then follows with an interesting take of our roots and current sociological "challenges", and examinations of the mall architecture and presumed retail mix.  

While not entirely accurate, the blogger -- who goes only by "Caldor" -- at least asks "Bakersvillians" for help in filling in blanks. Nearly a dozen interesting comments attempt to do just that. 

All in all, an interesting take from the perspective of a knowledgeable outsider.