i don't know if this has been covered, but why did they call the Corleone estate - " the mall"?

I think it can also mean a large expanse of land...as in "The Mall" which stretches from the Capitol in Washington DC

The term "mall" is, I guess, an Americanism.

It's come to mean an enclosed shopping center - often multi-level - consisting of a lot of stores. A "small" mall in the U.S. may have only 10-12, but there are some huge ones with over a hundred.

Back in the day when The Godfather was written, it's usual meaning was a group of houses surrounding a "common area", such as a lawn, or maybe a garden.

I think there are such "malls" in England which use the old meaning...Pall Mall (which is also a cigarette) comes to mind.

In Hoc Signo Vinces

Growing up in the Philadelphia area, I remember people used to call Pall Mall...."Pell Mell"

"Outstanding...and they are mild!"

Yes in NY they called them Pell Mells as wall.

Do they still make Pall Mall cigarettes?

they were unfilterd. Didnt they have some kind of specially rolled tobacco that made the smoke smoother?

That reminds me. I just bought new digital still and video cameras. I'm going to have to stop by the "Corleone Mall" again, and update my photos.

Yes they do. I have a co-worker who smokes them.

Strange that!
I thought smoking had been banned everywhere in the World

Duh!!!!!