The episode heavily leans into the cultural phenomenon of the 1980s shopping mall, using the fictional Starcourt Mall as its primary backdrop.
Contrasting the bright neon lights of the mall, a deeply disturbing horror plot unfolds in the shadows of Hawkins. [S3E2] Chapter Two: The Mall Rats
Steve’s cynical co-worker, Robin Buckley, quickly cracks the boys' club and uses her own knack for languages to translate the message: "The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west." The episode heavily leans into the cultural phenomenon