The top five US shopping malls
A little later this year the newest incarnation of the great American shopping mall is set to open its doors when American Dream Meadowlands officially commences operations in New Jersey.
Sixteen years in the making, this mammoth retail centre is set to boast 12 of the biggest names in retail, 339 small shops, 21 restaurants, 45 specialty food retailers and a wealth of attractions over a 2.8 million square foot precinct.
Among other things, it will include everything from North America’s largest indoor water park, to the biggest indoor ski park in the western hemisphere, and the first Sea Life Aquarium in New Jersey.
American Dream Meadowlands adds to a long list of super-sized shopping malls throughout the US. Once complete, it will be the second largest mall in the USA in terms of lettable area, and it comes at a time when shopping malls are supposedly in decline.
Here’s an insight into the top 5 shopping malls in the US…
King of Prussia
First opened back in 1963, King of Prussia shopping mall in Montgomery, Pennsylvania still ranks as the largest center in the USA.
This giant retail precinct measures an astounding 2.9 million square feet with anchor tenants who are amongst the who’s who of modern retail.
Over 450 retailers call King of Prussia home, including Lord & Taylor, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Primark, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.
Over its 55-year history, King of Prussia has steadily grown from a modest open-air shopping centre to a mammoth shopping mall.
Adventura Mall
For 36 years Adventura Mall has been a retail drawcard for Florida. Located in Miami, it encompasses 2.7 million square feet and over 300 retailers, including anchor tenants like Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdales along with Apple, Adidas, Burberry, Cartier, Givenchy, Topshop, and Zara.
Like King of Prussia, Adventura has also experienced its fair share of changes over the years. It was home to the first Macy’s in Florida and was also once a major outlet for Sears.
In 2017, it opened a major expansion in the form of a three-story wing.
Del Amo Fashion Center
Del Amo Fashion Center in California has one of the lengthiest histories of any shopping centre in the US. This now mammoth precinct first started out as an open-air center that gradually morphed into one of the largest retail precincts in the US.
At its peak it reached 3 million square feet and was ranked the largest US shopping centre from 1981 to 1992.
These days it encompasses about 2.6 million square feet and boasts 255 retailers including anchor tenants Macy’s, Nordstrom, JCPenney and Sears.
South Coast Plaza
California is also home to the South Coast Plaza, a vast retail center that is touted as having America’s highest sales value of $1.5 billion annually.
Like King of Prussia shopping mall, South Coast Plaza opened in the 1960s as America’s urban sprawl shepherded in a new retail era, and over the years it too has undergone expansion.
The center is known for its distinctive architecture and due to early success, soon grew to include a new wing.
Now South Coast Plaza brings in 24 million visitors annually and features over 250 retailers, including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s.
Mall of America
Although a latecomer to this retail list, the Mall of America is considered the largest in the USA in terms of floor area, spanning a whopping 4.8 million square feet in total.
First opened in 1992, it hosts all the mainstays of US retail including anchor tenants Nordstrom, Forever21, Marshall’s, Nickelodeon Universe, Lego World, and American Girl.
It also boasts an amusement park and Sea Life Aquarium, along with mini golf and cinemas. Last year it was also announced the Minnesota shopping mall would soon host a water park.
No decline here
The constant growth and evolution of all these major retail centers flies in the face of recent headlines that bricks and mortar is in the decline. Each offers a unique customer experience, with many having established themselves as not just a local shopping center, but as a destination and tourism drawcard where entertainment and retail meet.
