Malls news and trends

Simon Wants Gen Z to Heed Call of the Mall

September 30, 2024
Gen Z, malls, retail, Simon Property Group
Malls Add EV Chargers to Woo Affluent Shoppers With Spare Time
Retail // July 12, 2024

Around the world, malls are adding new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to attract the high-income shoppers who own them and to get them to spend more time on site. BP, for instance, announced Wednesday (July 10) that Simon Property Group, the largest mall owner...

Malls Stake Their Claim on Legacy Retailers With Express Buyout
Retail // June 18, 2024

Facing an ongoing existential threat from digital-native platforms, malls are doing everything in their power to keep legacy retailers alive — including staking millions to revive a bankrupt fashion chain. On Friday (June 14), brand management firm WHP Global announced a collaboration with mall real...

Shopping Center Vacancies Hit Lowest Level in 20 Years
Retail // June 09, 2024

Don’t write any obituaries for the American shopping center just yet. As The New York Times (NYT) reported Sunday (June 9), retail landlords are now finding themselves with soaring demand for spaces.  As construction declined and underperforming stores vacated, landlords began signing up tenants that...

Mall of America: Consumers Want Social Media to Inform Shopping Experiences
Retail // June 04, 2024

From influencer pop-ups to store openings for TikTok-famous brands, malls are taking the social media shopping experience to brick-and-mortar locations to reach young consumers. Jill Renslow, chief business development and marketing officer at Mall of America, the largest shopping and entertainment complex on the continent,...

Interviews & Exclusives
Mall of America Leads Push to Unique On-Site Experiences

May 20, 2024
As shoppers turn to eCommerce channels for convenience, many are still willing to go to brick-and-mortar malls for unique, site-specific experiences. Seizing on this demand, Mall of America, the largest shopping center in North America, announced Friday (May 17) that it will soon open an on-site game-show-style amusement center, Great Big Game Show, where consumers play the sorts […]

Thinking Small Might Be Retail’s New Big Trend

May 31, 2023
Merchants are embracing smaller footprints in a greater effort to cut costs and renew customer focus. Marking a significant shift in retailer strategy, major stores determined to adapt to the...

Simon Property CEO Says ‘The Mall Is Safe’ Amid Rising Concerns Over Delta Variant

August 03, 2021
Despite concerns that the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant could impact consumer spending as pandemic anxiety rises again and mask mandates are reintroduced across the U.S., mall operator Simon...

Retailing 2020: Five Things To Watch

May 25, 2020
The pandemic was unprecedented when it showed up in February and March; the phases of its aftermath will also be without a reference point. While it’s clear that the digital...

Quick Reads
Simon Wants Gen Z to Heed Call of the Mall

September 30, 2024
Mall giant Simon Property Group has launched an advertising campaign aimed at younger consumers. “Dubbed ‘Meet Me @themall™,’ the multifaceted campaign blends ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia with a new generation who wants to shop, eat, stay and play at the mall as much as their parents do,” the company said in a news release Monday […]

Shopping Center Vacancies Hit Lowest Level in 20 Years

June 09, 2024
Don’t write any obituaries for the American shopping center just yet. As The New York Times (NYT) reported Sunday (June 9), retail landlords are now finding themselves with soaring demand...

Foot Locker Begins Rollout of ‘Store of the Future’

April 24, 2024
Foot Locker has unveiled its “store of the future” in Wayne, New Jersey. This new retail format will inform the footwear and apparel retailer’s global refresh, as information gleaned from it...

Retailers Rethink Malls as Other Locations Report Stronger Sales

January 15, 2024
In the latest sign of trouble for the mall, several national retailers are moving outdoors. That’s according to a Monday (Jan. 15) Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, which said that...