Near SV, for example, Stanford Shopping Center and Santana Row are fine for now. In contrast, Westgate and Vallco are mere shadows of what they once were.
The Galleria, NorthPark, and Stonebriar are thriving (and Willow Bend is doing OK for now, though it's had turbulence in the past). The Galleria and NorthPark are both somewhat upscale (but with non-upscale sections), but Stonebriar isn't. Basically, all of the non-upscale shopping is being consolidated in Stonebriar. The people who used to shop at dead or dying malls like Prestonwood, Valley View, or Collin Creek now shop at Stonebriar. The market has shrunk a bit, so multiple locations aren't desirable, but the market for these stores does exist, just all concentrated into one location.
I suppose, but I'm not sure this proves your point. If anything, it shows that these commuters are choosing to go to the mall up there instead of window shopping in the city. I never said I prefer "transit-free hinterlands"? That general area is actually the specific example I had in mind all along.