12 Things About Shopping Malls You Never Knew
Todays mall has probably changed a lot from the shopping center where you bought your school clothes back in the day. Sure, you can still shop there and maybe catch a movie, but you might also try your hand at ax throwing, navigate a ropes course, ride a roller coaster, adopt a pet or even renew your drivers license. And it might make you wonder, Just how much do you really know about shopping malls?
If you’re curious about their history, you’re in the right place! Weve rounded up some fun and surprising facts about shopping mallsfrom the world’s very first mall to the birth of the modern shopping center, and everything in between.
So if you love discovering interesting tidbits, keep reading for some intriguing shopping mall facts. Who knowsyou just might get inspired to go on a shopping spree!
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There’s a reason why malls have more than just shops
Adding different entertainment, dining and residential options have helped fill square footage left empty after many ofthe classic mall anchors closed some stores (JCPenney, Macys and Sears, to name a few) or went out of business entirely (like Lord & Taylor and Montgomery Ward). Before the recent reimagining of malls, many sat empty, earning the creepy moniker of ghost mall.
The year 1980 was peak mall
There were about 2,500 of these indoor shopping meccas across the United States. Now that consumer habits have changed and one-click buying makes it easy to summon stuff right to your doorstep, only about 700 malls remain open nationwide.
The worlds first mall was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy
Designed by the noted architect Guiseppe Mengoni in 1877 and still standing, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II has been called Milans drawing room. Its opulent architecture and covered porticos invite leisurely strolling. Id like to live there forever, wrote Mark Twain in A Tramp Abroad.
The first modern mall in the United States was Southdale Center
The mall opened in Edina, Minnesota,in 1956, and it remains open today. The mall is just a few miles from the countrys biggest mall, the Mall of America in Bloomington. With 520 stores, more than 50 restaurants, two hotels, two mini golf courses, a zip line, an aquarium and a theme park, the Mall of America is a vacation destination. Since opening in 1992, it welcomes 400 million visitors annually from all over the world.
The 78-acre Mall of America is not the biggest mall in the world
That distinction goes to Iran Mall in Tehran, which has nearly four times the square footage and includes a library, a concert hall and a mosque, among more typical offerings. When it opened in 2018, Irans behemoth stole the trophy from the New South China Mall in Dongguan, China. Designed to attract wealthy patrons, with high-end shops and a canal with gondolas, the Chinese mega mall sat relatively empty for years, as most people couldnt afford to shop there. After a redesign with more middle-class offerings, the former ghost mall has finally come to life.
Some malls reflect their surroundings in creative ways
Here are some cool shopping mall facts: Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Florida, is shaped like an alligator. Baltimores Power Plant reignited an old brick power station near the citys industrial harbor. And Flatiron Crossing in Broomfield, Colorado, features rugged, rocky architecture and is surrounded by hiking trails.
All successful malls have a cheesecake factorthat is, the presence of a Cheesecake Factory
Thepopular eatery, with its massive menu,including more than 30 flavors of its namesake dessert, is a big draw, bringing people to a shopping center, according to a report from Moodys Analytics. Another major draw is an Apple Store. As Moodys Matt Reidy explained, People go to the mall to go to Apple. They dont go to a mall and end up at Apple.
Lots of movies take place in and around malls
This was especially true in their 1980s to 90s heyday. A 2002 documentary, Married at the Mall, chronicles some of the 9,000-plus couples who have tied the knot at the Mall of America. For a totally tubular film festival, cue up Valley Girl, Back to the Future, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Clueless and, of course, Mallrats.
On average, mall Santas earn more than $23 per hour
We can thank Zip Recruiter for this shopping mall fact. Some of these plum gigs dont even require a real beard, though 92% of respondents to last years Red Suit Survey of mall Santas claim authentic whiskers. An ability to maintain a jolly disposition is a standard requirement, and you have to passa background check. Mrs. Claus gigs may have steep and disparate requirements, such as technical skills and be in charge of the elves, according to one hiring site.
Dining out at the mall used to be a white-tablecloth experience
“Ladies who lunch used to gather at elegant department store cafes. Recipes for famous favorites can be found online and include Bullocks coconut cream pie, Marshall Fields chicken potpie and Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies. Meals got much more casual with the advent of the food court. The first one popped up in the Paramus Park mall in New Jersey in 1974. Today, trendy food halls offer more upscale options than the typical pretzels and pizza. The glitzy new American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, even has a high-tech serve-yourself wine bar.
Some online retailers have found that it pays to be in brick-and-mortar stores
People seem to prefer touching and trying out certain wares. Examples include Casper (mattresses), Untuckit (mens shirts) and Warby Parker (eyeglasses), whose co-founder and co-CEO Dave Gilboa says they plan to open more stores.
Yes, you can live at the mall
This might be the most shocking shopping mall fact on the list! In some cities, you can manifest your teenage fantasy of living at the mall, as properties are being converted to condos or torn down and rebuilt as mixed-use developments, including apartments.
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AtReaders Digest, were committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- ZipRecruiter: “Mall Santa Salary”
- Street Light Data: “Traffic Data Shows How the American Mall Is Being RebornOn Black Friday and Beyond”
- Small Business Currents: “The Rebirth of Malls”
- How Stuff Works: “10 Biggest Malls in America”
- Forbes: “How to Bring Zombie Malls Back to Life”
- Axios: “The cheesecake factor: Why these restaurants can reveal a mall’s financial success”
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