Malls that are still destinations

[webny99]

Inspired by some comments in this thread, are there any malls around that are still major destinations?

I don't mean just "doing OK", but business is actually booming, they're expanding, generating more traffic, and so forth. Eastview Mall, in the Rochester suburb of Victor, seems to keep expanding and becoming more popular. The commerce corridor which surrounds it has pretty much extended to the village of Victor, much to the disgust of anyone who uses NY 96 with regularity. Further, NYSDOT even built a new ramp to I-490 to allow mall traffic to avoid a left turn, thereby alleviating some of the congestion. Unfortunately, the Eastview expansion has been at the expense of some other local malls, like Marketplace, which is rumored to be transforming into an outlet mall (it hasn't happened yet, to my knowledge).

Also booming? As always, Mall of America!!!

[Takumi]

Short Pump Town Center, Potomac Mills, and that one in Tyson's Corner.

[jeffandnicole]

The King of Prussia Mall outside Philly, near where the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) meets the PA Turnpike (I-76/276), is doing incredibly well, and just completed another expansion.  It is actually larger than the Mall of America when it comes down to available store space.

Malls near me doing well include the Cherry Hill Mall, the first mall east of the Mississippi, opening in 1961.  When you consider the passage of time, lifestyles, suburban living, etc, the fact that the Cherry Hill Mall is still going strong after 57 years without convenient access to a full highway is quite an overlooked success story. 

Another successful mall is the Deptford Mall.  It is aided by convenient access to two NJ Highways (Routes 42 & 55), and hasn't lost any of their 4 major anchors since Strawbridges was replaced with Boscovs in 2006.

In Delaware, the Christiana Mall just off I-95 continues to do quite well, with the lack of a sales tax helping drive sales there.

[Brandon]

Many of the remaining Chicagoland malls tend to be destinations.  Most of the ones that weren't are dead now and have mostly been redeveloped.  Among the malls that have had recent expansions and have planned expansions (ignoring the demise of Carson Pirie Scott):

Orland Square
Louis Joliet Mall
Southlake Mall
Yorktown Center
Chicago Premium Outlets
Stratford Square (not as dead as one would think for the loss of three anchors out of six total)

Are doing fine, and have a good, steady, busy business (but no current or planned expansions):
Ford City
Chicago Ridge Mall
Bolingbrook Prominade
Fox Valley Center
Oakbrook Center
Old Orchard Center
Woodfield
Harlem-Irving Plaza
Hawthorn Center
Gurnee Mills

[PHLBOS]

In Delaware, the Christiana Mall just off I-95 continues to do quite well, with the lack of a sales tax helping drive sales there.

That tax advantage didn't help the Tri-State Mall further north (& a stone's-throw from the PA border) at all.

In Delaware County, PA (aka Delco); the Springfield Mall seems to be doing okay.  I'm sure the closing of the Granite Run Mall several miles away a few years ago helped boost Springfield's mall traffic.

In my old stomping grounds, the North Shore region of MA; both the North Shore Mall in Peabody and the Liberty Tree Mall in neighboring Danvers, when I last visited there, seemed to be doing okay.

[US 81]

I'm not much of a shopper myself, but the "Outlet" malls seem to see a lot of traffic.

[ET21]

Many of the remaining Chicagoland malls tend to be destinations.  Most of the ones that weren't are dead now and have mostly been redeveloped.  Among the malls that have had recent expansions and have planned expansions (ignoring the demise of Carson Pirie Scott):

Orland Square
Louis Joliet Mall
Southlake Mall
Yorktown Center
Chicago Premium Outlets
Stratford Square (not as dead as one would think for the loss of three anchors out of six total)

Are doing fine, and have a good, steady, busy business (but no current or planned expansions):
Ford City
Chicago Ridge Mall
Bolingbrook Prominade
Fox Valley Center
Oakbrook Center
Old Orchard Center
Woodfield
Harlem-Irving Plaza
Hawthorn Center
Gurnee Mills

I do a weekly to bi-weekly run to Ridge Mall, it's actually about to undergo a big food court remodeling soon. But new stores are opening up soon and houses one of last remaining Sears in IL.

[abefroman329]

Most, if not all, of the Mills properties.  The fact that two have a Medieval Times, and one of the two also has a casino, probably helps.

Nearly all outlet malls (I personally never go just to go to one store).   But even these are not immune to changes in shopping habits, considering the one in Huntley, IL went belly-up sometime last year.

[NWI_Irish96]

In northern Indiana, University Park Mall in Mishawaka and Southlake Mall in Merrillville are both still doing plenty of business.  Across the border in Taxland, the River Oaks Center is dying quickly.

[hotdogPi]

As I mentioned in the other thread, the Mall at Rockingham Park and the Pheasant Lane Mall (also taking advantage of tax-free shopping, this time in New Hampshire).

[Brandon]

Most, if not all, of the Mills properties.  The fact that two have a Medieval Times, and one of the two also has a casino, probably helps.

Nearly all outlet malls (I personally never go just to go to one store).   But even these are not immune to changes in shopping habits, considering the one in Huntley, IL went belly-up sometime last year.

That outlet mall in Huntley got killed by a few factors:
1. Gurnee Mills.
2. Chicago Premium Outlets (Aurora).
3. Chicago Fashion Outlets (Rosemont).

Same factors killed an outlet mall or two in Kenosha.

[abefroman329]

Most, if not all, of the Mills properties.  The fact that two have a Medieval Times, and one of the two also has a casino, probably helps.

Nearly all outlet malls (I personally never go just to go to one store).   But even these are not immune to changes in shopping habits, considering the one in Huntley, IL went belly-up sometime last year.

That outlet mall in Huntley got killed by a few factors:
1. Gurnee Mills.
2. Chicago Premium Outlets (Aurora).
3. Chicago Fashion Outlets (Rosemont).

Same factors killed an outlet mall or two in Kenosha.

I just assumed the outlet mall in Kenosha closed and was replaced by the one in Pleasant Prairie, I didn't know the PP one killed the Kenosha one.

Re Huntley, I'm surprised it didn't survive, since there aren't any others along that stretch of I-90.

[hbelkins]

Mall of America.

[Max Rockatansky]

Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale seemed be still pretty active when I passed through two years ago.  Granted much of the traffic seemed to be there to head to Old Town or eat something. 

[inkyatari]

Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL

Many of the remaining Chicagoland malls tend to be destinations.  Most of the ones that weren't are dead now and have mostly been redeveloped.  Among the malls that have had recent expansions and have planned expansions (ignoring the demise of Carson Pirie Scott):

Louis Joliet Mall

Is the Louis going to undergo an expansion, or are you implying they recently underwent one? (I know they added the Cinemark theater complex, but that was 9 years ago or so.)

[Brandon]

Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL

Many of the remaining Chicagoland malls tend to be destinations.  Most of the ones that weren't are dead now and have mostly been redeveloped.  Among the malls that have had recent expansions and have planned expansions (ignoring the demise of Carson Pirie Scott):

Louis Joliet Mall

Is the Louis going to undergo an expansion, or are you implying they recently underwent one? (I know they added the Cinemark theater complex, but that was 9 years ago or so.)

The theater as of recent, but they still seem to go full blast at 95% occupancy.  I'm wondering what will become of the soon-to-be-former Carson Pirie Scott/Bergner's building.  Von Maur did a lot of nosing around the area in 2007-08 with the Bridge Street Town Center (defunct plan - I-55 & I-80) and another development on IL-59 up by 119th Street.  This is a ready-made building, about the size they wanted, in a center that's doing well, and with a central atrium that's similar to ones they like elsewhere.  It's damn near a perfect fit for them.

[roadman65]

Florida Mall in Orlando, FL is still one due to tourists from out of the country looking to stock up on clothing and supplies before returning home.

Plus you have the ones that live in the US who just have to buy at a mall away from home (many with a mall in their location also) for the heck of it that add to its being popular.

Oh yes, and the Crayola Experience attraction (the second floor of the closed Nordstrom) is attracting many as well.


Sawgrass Mills in the outer areas of greater Miami is a destination mall and is one of the longest mall corridors in the world extending over a mile in overall length does not help create a feat for some.

[hotdogPi]

National Mall in Washington DC. 

[LM117]

In NC, it's Concord Mills.

[steviep24]

Inspired by some comments in this thread, are there any malls around that are still major destinations?

I don't mean just "doing OK", but business is actually booming, they're expanding, generating more traffic, and so forth. Eastview Mall, in the Rochester suburb of Victor, seems to keep expanding and becoming more popular. The commerce corridor which surrounds it has pretty much extended to the village of Victor, much to the disgust of anyone who uses NY 96 with regularity. Further, NYSDOT even built a new ramp to I-490 to allow mall traffic to avoid a left turn, thereby alleviating some of the congestion. Unfortunately, the Eastview expansion has been at the expense of some other local malls, like Marketplace, which is rumored to be transforming into an outlet mall (it hasn't happened yet, to my knowledge).

Also booming? As always, Mall of America!!!

Isn't Destiny USA (formerly Carousel Center) in Syracuse also considered a destination mall? I was in Marketplace Mall recently and although it isn't officially an outlet mall yet they have giant posters advertising the coming change and some stores have already converted to outlet stores.

[txstateends]

In north TX, for sure:  NorthPark (Dallas), Grapevine Mills (Grapevine).  I'm hearing that the Galleria in north Dallas is still hanging on, but you can tell it's been affected by the malls further north and the shrinking list of department stores out there.  Most of the rest of the shopping areas/malls in the area are decidedly local or are not in the best of shape in the amount of foot traffic.

[DeaconG]

Florida Mall in Orlando, FL is still one due to tourists from out of the country looking to stock up on clothing and supplies before returning home.

Plus you have the ones that live in the US who just have to buy at a mall away from home (many with a mall in their location also) for the heck of it that add to its being popular.

Oh yes, and the Crayola Experience attraction (the second floor of the closed Nordstrom) is attracting many as well.


Sawgrass Mills in the outer areas of greater Miami is a destination mall and is one of the longest mall corridors in the world extending over a mile in overall length does not help create a feat for some.

You forgot Mall at Millenia, a mall I can't afford to shop in but lots of foreign tourists do...

[jp the roadgeek]

Malls in CT that are doing well: Westfarms Mall, Buckland Hills Mall, CT Post Mall, Danbury Fair Mall
Malls in CT that are doing ok but could do better: Meriden Square, Trumbull Mall
Malls in CT that are starting to decline: Stamford Town Center (wait till Norwalk opens), Crystal Mall
Malls in CT that may be on their last legs: Brass Mill Center, Enfield Square, Eastbrook Mall


Other malls in nearby states that are destinations: Holyoke Mall at Ingleside (MA), Palisades Plaza (West Nyack, NY), Garden State Plaza (Paramus, just not on Sundays of course). 

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Twin Cities:
Southdale
Ridgedale

Duluth:
Miller Hill

[KEVIN_224]

Malls in CT that are doing well: Westfarms Mall, Buckland Hills Mall, CT Post Mall, Danbury Fair Mall
Malls in CT that are doing ok but could do better: Meriden Square, Trumbull Mall
Malls in CT that are starting to decline: Stamford Town Center (wait till Norwalk opens), Crystal Mall
Malls in CT that may be on their last legs: Brass Mill Center, Enfield Square, Eastbrook Mall


Other malls in nearby states that are destinations: Holyoke Mall at Ingleside (MA), Palisades Plaza (West Nyack, NY), Garden State Plaza (Paramus, just not on Sundays of course). 

The one thing with WestFarms: despite being successful, it doesn't have a food court. It also opened in 1974. There is Olive Garden, Wendy's and Red Robin nearby though. I see this mall being the one which helped accelerate the decline of downtown New Britain a few miles south down CT Route 71. Putting CT Route 72 through likely didn't help either.

P.S. The WestFarms name stems from the fact the mall straddles the Farmington/West Hartford town line.