Welcome to The Shopping Plaza: How a Childhood Memory Became My Dream
By: Joseph Marks
Some dreams start not with big plans, but with small moments that never leave you. For me, The Shopping Plaza began long before websites and e-commerce existed — back when I was just a little boy wandering the halls of an indoor mall with my mom, soaking in the colors, the lights, and the feeling of possibility.
I was born with a rare eye condition called Aniridia, which means I was born without an iris. The world around me was always bright — sometimes too bright — and seeing clearly was a daily challenge. But when you grow up with limited sight, you learn to notice things differently. You focus on color, light, sound, and the way a space makes you feel.
My mom didn’t have much money, but she had incredible determination. Every shopping trip she made was an act of love — carefully planned, smartly done, and always stretching every dollar to make sure we had what we needed. She was the kind of mom who could find treasure in a clearance rack and joy in a good deal.
And one of her favorite places was The Gallery Mall in downtown Philadelphia.
A Boy and a Directory
I can still remember that mall directory like it was yesterday. It wasn’t just a map — to me, it was magic. Each floor had bright colors marking different kinds of stores — reds, blues, yellows — and I would stand there tracing my fingers along the paths between them, memorizing which color meant what. I couldn’t read everything perfectly, but I could feel the organization.
My mom would smile when she saw me studying it. “You really love that map, huh?” she’d say. Then she’d point out where we were headed: JCPenney for my dad’s dress pants, The Children’s Place for me, Lane Bryant for her, and Strawbridge’s for her makeup and perfume. At the end of every trip, she’d reward us both with a stop in the candy section — where I’d scoop jelly beans into a plastic bag until it was nearly overflowing.
To most people, it was just a day of errands. But to me, it was structure, purpose, and a feeling of belonging. The Gallery was the one place my mom could come and find everything she needed in one trip. It was efficient. It was colorful. It made sense.
The Spark That Never Left
Even as a kid, I was fascinated by how the mall worked — all these stores, connected, each serving a different purpose but existing together under one roof. The idea that a single place could simplify life for people like my mom stuck with me.
Years later, when I started learning about business, design, and affiliate marketing, that memory came flooding back. I didn’t want to build just another online store. I wanted to build something that recreated that same feeling — a place where people could find everything they needed in one space, without wasting time or energy.
That’s how The Shopping Plaza was born.
Building My Own “Mall Directory”
In many ways, The Shopping Plaza is my modern version of that colorful directory I used to stare at as a kid. Each “store” inside The Plaza has its own personality — coffee lovers, sports fans, parents, teachers, holiday shoppers — all under one virtual roof.
But unlike the malls of the past, The Shopping Plaza has a few founding principles that make it personal to me:
1. Giving You Back Your Time
My mom didn’t have the luxury of endless hours to shop, and neither do most of us today. The Shopping Plaza curates products from trusted affiliate partners so you don’t have to dig through pages of results. We take care of the searching so you can focus on living.
2. Making Shopping Personal
You’re not just another customer here — you’re part of the story. That’s why we offer customizable and personalized products. Every purchase can reflect you — your humor, your family, your interests.
3. Quick, Easy, and Quality
Shopping should be simple. Our goal is to give you a fast, smooth, and enjoyable experience, just like a well-designed mall layout — intuitive and efficient from start to finish.
4. A Promise of Care
I’ve always been a people pleaser — not because it’s easy, but because I genuinely care. If you can’t find something, reach out. I’ll help you find it or make it happen. That’s a promise.
Why I Built The Plaza
When I think back to those days in The Gallery, I don’t just remember the stores. I remember how my mom made something out of nothing. I remember the warmth of her planning, the comfort of knowing we could get everything done in one place, and the joy of walking away with jelly beans in my hand and a smile on her face.
That memory drives everything I do with The Shopping Plaza. It’s not about selling — it’s about serving. It’s about creating a space that helps people like my mom — and families like ours — shop smarter, faster, and with a little bit of heart behind every click.
So welcome to The Shopping Plaza — a dream years in the making, born from a child’s imagination and a mother’s determination. Here, shopping isn’t just convenient — it’s personal.