[JustADude]

I always looked at the crime mall not always as a bad place per say, but as a combination of a flea market, shadow clinic, and brothel.  It is a place for sinless and other people of the under world to buy and sell tools of the trade.  I would think hitting them up or robbing from the crime mall would not be a good idea not because it is a dangerous place, but it is the people runners do business with, and if you piss them off it may be come harder to get that new piece of gear that is needed.

Exactly what I was thinking. The "merchant association" that's pooling money for upgrades and renovations probably also puts up some wonga to pay for some hardcore security, as well.

Probably not much actual cash-in-hand pay, but with a crash-pad in a nearby tenement building and a small discount on gear they'll use for better-paying gigs, but worth it to a Runner that's between jobs at the moment and needing a way to stay dry and fed.

[Crimsondude]

Pretty much.

Anyone causing trouble better be able to back up their actions, though.

[Critias]

I also believe it appears in the Ancient Pawns adventure.

Yeah, I used it, but really just the parking lot and one of the semi-truck-height loading docks (that big malls and stuff have).  I don't go into any detail at all, and no other sourcebooks really have, either, just like the general thread consensus says...it's just a mall.  Imagine it however you want to, tailor it to your campaign however you want to, fill it with whatever bazaar of bizarre shops you want, go to town.  It's a building the size of a mall, full of black market awesomeness;  go to town. 

[Murrdox]

The idea posted early of an old movie theater converted to a gun range gave me a fun idea.

Basically have a guy that is demonstrating guns and giving "test firings" a la "5th Element"

"The ever-popular FLAME THROWER... (my favorite)"