Why is it called a mall?
The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refer to the walkway itself which was merely bordered by such shops), but in the late 1960s, it began to be used as a generic term for the large enclosed shopping centers that were becoming commonplace at the time.
How did malls get so popular?
Malls began to find other ways of enticing and amusing the entire family to come by offering amusement rides like this ten-cent horse for the kiddies. By the late 1950s and early '60s, it wasn't unusual to find large department stores such as Sears "anchoring" one end of a mall.
When was the first shopping mall opened?
The first shopping mall was technically an outdoor shopping plaza that opened in 1922 in Kansas City. However, the first indoor shopping mall that mirrored how we think of malls today was opened in 1956 in Edina, Minnesota. Malls were often anchored by a large department store with a cluster of other stores around it.
When did the American Mall reach its peak?
Narrator: The American mall would reach its peak in 1992 with its final evolution: the mega-mall. Fittingly in the same state as America's first mall, the Mall of America, in Bloomington, Minnesota, spans a whopping 5.6 million square feet with over 500 stores, a theme park with 27 rides, an aquarium, a wedding chapel, and a movie theater.
When did malls gain popularity?
The 1980s saw an unparalleled period of growth in the shopping center industry, with more than 16,000 centers built between 1980 and 1990. This was also the period when super-regional centers (malls larger than 800,000 square feet) became increasingly popular with shoppers.
When did shopping malls become a thing?
1956The first shopping mall was technically an outdoor shopping plaza that opened in 1922 in Kansas City. However, the first indoor shopping mall that mirrored how we think of malls today was opened in 1956 in Edina, Minnesota. Malls were often anchored by a large department store with a cluster of other stores around it.
When were malls at their peak?
This was 1986, a peak mall year in America. At least one new shopping mall had been built in the United States every year since the 1950s, and 19 opened in 1990 alone.
Why did malls become popular?
Following its debut in the 1950s, the US quickly fell in love with Gruen's creation. Malls allowed people to shop in warm and friendly environments without needing to venture into the city. They brought numerous retailers and services together in a single location, something main streets and cities could rarely offer.
How popular were malls in the 80s?
During the '80s, malls were thriving, with large anchor stores attracting droves of shoppers year-round. Record stores were a mall mainstay during the '80s. The food court became the place to refuel and hang out with your friends in the '80s.
Why are malls no longer popular?
There's a decrease in foot traffic This decline in malls' ability to retain their customers, could be for a number of reasons, including the fact that there are now more options for shopping and entertainment, or simply because people don't see malls as being as social or fun as they used to be.
Are malls a thing of the past?
It's no secret that malls have been on the decline for years. In 2017, Credit Suisse predicted that up to 1 in 4 malls would close by 2022. That same year, a record 8,640 retailers closed shop. In 2019, more than 9,300 shops shut down.
What was a popular store in the 1980s?
While a few stores that were popular in the '80s remain in the malls of today — including The Gap and, somehow, Spencer Gifts (now just “Spencer's”) — many of the staples of the era are no more. Some stores were doomed by changing tastes and styles.
Were there malls in the 1960s?
Shopping center development boomed in the 1960s and continued throughout the early-1970s. From 1960 to 1970, more than 8,000 shopping centers were built in the United States - more than twice as many as the brisk development activity experienced in the 1950s.
Did malls exist in the 1940s?
The late 1940s brought about the rise of suburban malls. The Bellevue Shopping Square opened in 1946 in Washington, followed by the Town & Country Village and Broadway-Crenshaw Center in California.
Why is a mall called a mall?
The word 'mall' comes from a 16th-century Italian alley game that resembled croquet. It was called pallamaglio, or pall-mall in English; the alley on which the game was played came to be known as a 'mall'.
How many malls are left in America?
Number of shopping centers in the U.S. from 1970 to 2017 In 2017, there were approximately 116,000 shopping malls spread across the United States. Back in 1970, there were only 30,000 shopping malls in the United States.
Did malls exist in the 1940s?
The late 1940s brought about the rise of suburban malls. The Bellevue Shopping Square opened in 1946 in Washington, followed by the Town & Country Village and Broadway-Crenshaw Center in California.
Who invented shopping malls?
Viktor David GrünbaumGruen, an Austrian Jewish architect born Viktor David Grünbaum, immigrated to New York with $8 in his pocket, and when he designed the first enclosed shopping centers in the mid-1950s, he envisioned a communal gathering like the one he knew back home, with a lively mix of commerce, art and entertainment.
What was the first shopping mall?
Southdale Shopping Center, located in Edina, Minnesota, was the first totally enclosed shopping center in the nation.
What is the oldest shopping mall in the world?
the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele IIThe Galleria, or to give it its full name – the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – dates back to 1861, when it was first designed. It took 12 years to build and was completed in 1877. It's a four story double arcade that takes its name from the first King of Italy.
Why are malls controversial?
One controversial aspect of malls has been their effective displacement of traditional main streets or high streets. Some consumers prefer malls, with their parking garages, controlled environments, and private security guards, over CBDs or downtowns, which frequently have limited parking, poor maintenance, outdoor weather, and limited police coverage.
What is a shopping mall?
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, both open-air and enclosed centers are commonly referred to as shopping centres. Mall primarily refers to either a shopping mall – a place where a collection of shops all adjoin a pedestrian area – or an exclusively pedestrianized street that allows shoppers to walk without interference from vehicle traffic.
How many sq ft are there in a regional mall?
A regional mall is as per the International Council of Shopping Centers, in the United States, a shopping mall with 400,000 sq ft (37,000 m 2) to 800,000 sq ft (74,000 m 2) gross leasable area with at least two anchor stores.
What is vertical mall?
High land prices in populous cities have led to the concept of the "vertical mall", in which space allocated to retail is configured over a number of stories accessible by elevators and/or escalators (usually both) linking the different levels of the mall. The challenge of this type of mall is to overcome the natural tendency of shoppers to move horizontally and encourage shoppers to move upwards and downwards. The concept of a vertical mall was originally conceived in the late 1960s by the Mafco Company, former shopping center development division of Marshall Field & Co. The Water Tower Place skyscraper, Chicago, Illinois, was built in 1975 by Urban Retail Properties. It contains a hotel, luxury condominiums, and office space and sits atop a block-long base containing an eight-level atrium-style retail mall that fronts on the Magnificent Mile.
Where did shopping centers originate?
Shopping centers in general, may have their origins in public markets and, in the Middle East, covered bazaars. In 1798 the first covered shopping passage was built in Paris, the Passage du Caire . The Arcade in Providence, Rhode Island claims to be the first shopping arcade in the United States in 1828.
What is a shopping property management company?
A shopping property management firm is a company that specializes in owning and managing shopping malls. Most shopping property management firms own at least 20 malls. Some firms use a similar naming scheme for most of their malls; for example, Mills Corporation puts "Mills" in most of its mall names and SM Prime Holdings of the Philippines puts "SM" in all of its malls, as well as anchor stores such as The SM Store, SM Appliance Center, SM Hypermarket, SM Cinema, and SM Supermarket. In the UK, The Mall Fund changes the name of any center it buys to "The Mall (location)", using its pink-M logo; when it sells a mall the center reverts to its own name and branding, such as the Ashley Centre in Epsom. Similarly, following its rebranding from Capital Shopping Centres, intu Properties renamed many of its centres to "intu (name/location)" (such as intu Lakeside; again, malls removed from the network revert to their own brand (see for instance The Glades in Bromley ).
When was the first enclosed mall built?
The first enclosed mall was developed in a suburb of Minneapolis in 1956. Designed to get the shopper out of the harsh weather, it introduced the world to shopping complexes as worlds unto themselves--free from bad weather, life, crime, dirt and troubles.
How many malls were there in 1987?
In 1987, there were 30,000 malls accounting for over 50% of all retail dollars spent (about 676 billion dollars, 8% of the labor force, and 13% of our gross national product--Keinfield, 1986; Turchiana, 1990). Malls are now the retail, social and community centers of their communities.
Why is shopping mall important?
The enviable success and impact of the shopping mall may have something to do with the potential of shopping malls to enhance community life. There is no conflict between shopping malls, profits, and people. The basis for a shopping mall is to make it an "indispensable servant of the community" (Rouse, 1962). Right now consumer research seems to be on the sidelines of this phenomena. However, like the lead pack dog, since the mall is at its basics a consumer phenomenon, consumer researchers should be making the dust, not eating it.
What is the competitive environment of a mall?
The competitive environment that a mall faces today is considerably different from that faced in their early days when their primary competition was a downtown business district. Many of the best "locations" are gone so that a mall's primary competition is now likely to be another mall. Shopping malls- appear to be in a mature phase of the retail life cycle where market shares and sales may be leveling off (Sternlieb & Hughs, 1981). The challenges that face developers within this context will have to become more consumer oriented in the sense that more attention will need to be paid to the why, when, what, who, where, and how's of the consumer when it comes to all aspects of "the shopping mall" (for a complete review of published articles on shopping centers before 1982 see Dawson, 1982).
Where did shopping centers start?
According to Samuel Feinberg (1960) shopping centers got their start a bit earlier, in 1907, in a Baltimore neighborhood where a group of stores established off-street parking. In 1922 The Country Club Plaza in suburban Kansas City, a group of stores only accessible by car, was built. In 1931 the Highland Park Shopping Village in Dallas became the first group of stores that had its own parking lot with the stores facing away from the access road. The first enclosed mall was developed in a suburb of Minneapolis in 1956. Designed to get the shopper out of the harsh weather, it introduced the world to shopping complexes as worlds unto themselves--free from bad weather, life, crime, dirt and troubles. It is somehow fitting that the largest mall in the United States, called "The Mall of America," is now nearing completion outside Minneapolis.
Who wrote a brief history of the mall?
Richard A. Feinberg and Jennifer Meoli (1991) ,"A Brief History of the Mall", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 18, eds. Rebecca H. Holman and Michael R. Solomon, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 426-427.
When was the first group of stores that had their own parking lot?
In 1922 The Country Club Plaza in suburban Kansas City, a group of stores only accessible by car, was built. In 1931 the Highland Park Shopping Village in Dallas became the first group of stores that had its own parking lot with the stores facing away from the access road.
When did mega malls start?
All this would set the stage for megamalls. Giant megamalls weren't developed until the 1980s when the West Edmonton Mall opened in Alberta, Canada with more than 800 stores. It was open to the public in 1981 and featured a hotel, amusement park, miniature golf course, a church, a water park for sunbathing and surfing, a zoo and a 438-foot lake.
When was the first enclosed mall opened?
The Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota became the first enclosed mall to open in 1956 and several more innovations have come about since to make shopping easier and more efficient for both store owners and customers.
What was the first catalog in Montgomery Ward?
He started Montgomery Ward with only $2,400 in capital. The first "catalog" was a single sheet of paper with a price list that advertised the merchandise for sale along with ordering instructions. From this humble beginning, it grew and became more heavily illustrated and chock full of goods, earning the nickname "dream book." Montgomery Ward was a mail-order-only business until 1926 when the first retail store opened in Plymouth, Indiana.
What is mall in Minnesota?
Malls are collections of independent retail stores and services conceived, constructed and maintained by a management firm. Occupants can include restaurants, banks, theaters, professional offices and even service stations. The Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota became the first enclosed mall to open in 1956 and several more innovations have come ...
When was Bloomingdale's first department store?
The First Department Stores. Bloomingdale's was founded in 1872 by two brothers named Lyman and Joseph Bloomingdale. The store rode the popularity of the hoop skirt to great success and practically invented the department store concept at the beginning of the 20th century.
Who invented the telescoping shopping cart?
Orla Watson of Kansas City, Missouri is credited with inventing the telescoping shopping cart in 1946. Using hinged baskets, each shopping cart was fitted into the shopping cart ahead of it for compact storage. These telescoping shopping carts were first used at Floyd Day's Super Market in 1947.
Who invented the shopping cart?
Sylvan Goldman invented the first shopping cart in 1936. He owned a chain of Oklahoma City grocery stores called Standard/Piggly-Wiggly. He created his first cart by adding two wire baskets and wheels to a folding chair. Together with his mechanic Fred Young, Goldman later designed a dedicated shopping cart in 1947 and formed the Folding Carrier Company to manufacture them.
When did the mall start?
In 1956, consumer retail was revolutionised. The Southdale Centre in Edina, Minnesota was the first of its kind: a large, spacious building filled with modern shops and public art. Its climate-controlled environment offered respite during the freezing Minnesota winter, a forum for bored teenagers and bargains for savvy shoppers. It was the birth of the US shopping mall: a cultural institution that would extend across the country and define America’s suburban landscape.
How many malls were built in the 1950s?
As US suburbs grew – drifting further from city centres – the popularity of malls only increased. Over 1,200 shopping malls shot up in the US after the earliest examples were built in the 1950s. They became an institution, a prominent fixture in the cultural zeitgeist of suburban life.
What does Billerbeck believe about malls?
Billerbeck believes, with the right management, those shopping malls freed from the demands of a department store could make substantial changes to cater for more specialist and attractive brands . He said: “At one point you would do anything to get a department store to sign a lease in a shopping centre.
Why did Gibbs say that malls can be torn down?
Gibbs said: “ [This was] because [the developer] was able to put in hundreds of residential units, new retailers in a walkable format, and he created a major employment centre. So I’m very optimistic about how these old malls can be torn down or converted into mixed use communities.”
What is the rise and fall of the mall?
The rise and fall of the US mall. Once considered a radical development in urban design, shopping malls are falling into disrepair across the US. Callum Glennen investigates their rise, their fall, and what the future holds for American retail. US malls have fallen victim to online shopping, changing consumer tastes and their own success.
Why were malls built?
By their very nature, malls were built big and, as they grew, needed to move further from the town centres and communities they served. Encircled by wide highways and often lacking sufficient public transport connections, many malls became impossible to access without a car. This only worked to encourage greater urban sprawl ( see Fig 1 ), and subsequently the construction of even more malls. As a lucrative investment opportunity, their construction quickly ballooned and the market became saturated.
What were the biggest victims of the mass construction of malls?
The biggest victims of the mass construction of malls were the retailers in main streets and cities. “At their peak, [main streets and cities] had about 80 percent of the market share of retail”, Gibbs said. “After the malls left, it dropped down to five percent of the market share.” For the most part, the cities and urban centres never truly recovered from the loss of custom. “There’s only been about 23 or 30 American cities that regained maybe 20 percent of the market share, from the 80 percent they had”, Gibbs said.
What are some features that were once common at malls?
Many features that were once common at malls have becoming increasingly rare. These include playgrounds, arcades, and appearances and concerts from pop stars. Malls once played a pivotal role in how we shopped and socialized.
Why did malls have playgrounds?
When malls were a weekend destination for families, many of the shopping centers would have playgrounds so that kids wouldn't become restless after watching their parents run errands.
Why are malls empty on Black Friday?
Black Friday lines at malls used to be so long, retailers' largest concern was avoiding stampedes. Now, malls are increasingly empty on Black Friday as customers do their shopping online.
How many things have disappeared as malls across America have died?
30 things that have disappeared as malls across America have died
What made arcades obsolete?
The rise of home video game consoles made most arcades obsolete.
What movies were targeted at teens?
Back when youth culture revolved around shopping and hanging out with friends in malls, movies targeted toward teens — like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Mean Girls" — would often feature their characters spending time in malls.
When did Sharper Image go bankrupt?
Sharper Image. Eric Risberg/AP. The electronics retailer used to have a large physical retail footprint before it declared bankruptcy in 2008. It now sells its merchandise through its website, catalog, and third-party retail partners.
When did the mall start?
The story of the mall begins in the 1950s, when America was experiencing an unprecedented economic boom. The middle class had more money to spend than ever before, and they were spending it on houses and cars. Along with this came Eisenhower's Federal-Aid Highway Act, which meant that people could drive to their jobs in the cities while living in a new kind of development, the suburbs.
When was the first mall in America?
On October 8, 1956, America's first indoor mall, the Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota, opened its doors. Like no building ever constructed before, the Southdale Center not only had shops, but fountains, art installations, a bird sanctuary, and a sprawling courtyard, all within a single indoor complex.
What was Gruen's utopian vision for the mall?
But Gruen's utopian vision for the mall had not been realized. Cheap food courts were installed where courtyards were supposed to be. Instead of cosmopolitan communities, developers often surrounded malls with enormous parking lots and suburban housing projects, exactly what Gruen was trying to thwart.
Why were malls created?
American malls were created in the rise of suburbia in order to create spaces for Americans to gather and form communities. Starting with the opening of the Southland Mall in 1956, malls have been a vaulted piece of Americana for decades. But with so many malls being built in close proximity to one another, the newer malls would often poach ...
How many square feet are there in the Mall of America?
Fittingly in the same state as America's first mall, the Mall of America, in Bloomington, Minnesota, spans a whopping 5.6 million square feet with over 500 stores, a theme park with 27 rides, an aquarium, a wedding chapel, and a movie theater. The mega-mall was immensely profitable.
What movie was centered around the mall?
'80s teenagers even looked at the mall as a place to which they could escape and socialize, as was epitomized in the cult-classic movie "Mallrats."
When was the first indoor mall opened?
On October 8, 1956, America's first indoor mall, the Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota, opened its doors. Like no building ever constructed before, the Southdale Center not only had shops, but fountains, art installations, a bird sanctuary, and a sprawling courtyard, all within a single indoor complex. The mall received mostly rave reviews, deeming it an attraction on par with Disneyland, which had just opened a year earlier, in 1955. Walt Disney himself even cited Gruen as his main influence for the ideas behind Epcot.
When did malls become a place?
By the early 1960s, malls became a place where retailers could aggressively market products, such as this organ demonstration to convince shoppers that they, too, could learn to play like a pro.
When did shopping centers become enclosed malls?
In the early 1950s, shopping centers with plenty of parking for cars became the precursor for the modern enclosed mall. Here, Northwood in Baltimore includes a grocery store.
What was the first enclosed mall in Baltimore?
Here, Northwood in Baltimore includes a grocery store. The first enclosed mall, called Southdale Regional Shopping Center, opened in Minneapolis in 1956 so people could stay warm and dry while shopping. Southdale even boasted a fountain and seating in its "interior garden court.".
What are lockers at Southdale?
The lockers at Southdale enabled customers, who weren't used to shopping in such a large space, to not have to keep going back to their cars with packages.
What were the mainstays of the 80s?
During the '80s, malls were thriving, with large anchor stores attracting droves of shoppers year-round. Record stores were a mall mainstay during the '80s. The food court became the place to refuel and hang out with your friends in the '80s. Without cell phones, you actually had to interact face to face (gasp!).
Why is Chestnut Hill Mall a popular destination for women?
The mall became a major destination for holiday shopping because you could find something for everyone on your list. Here, women shop in Chestnut Hill Mall in Newton, Massachusetts.
What was the food court in the 80s?
The food court became the place to refuel and hang out with your friends in the '80s. Without cell phones, you actually had to interact face to face (gasp!).
Why did people love malls?
While people loved malls for the social aspect and enjoyment of window shopping and moving from store to store , there was also a renewed interest in a return to the one-stop-shop. However, unlike the mom and pop general stores of old, these large stores served bigger populations and provided items cheaply at a much bigger scale.
When did retail stores start?
The first retail stores take up the mantle a bit further down the line. By 800 BC in ancient Greece, people had developed markets with merchants selling their wares in the Agora in the city center. These ruins are of an ancient Greek agora.
Why were shoppers excited about department stores?
Previously, shoppers were excited about department stores that could provide lifestyle advice and personalized shopping experiences. Then they loved malls and came to expect the convenience of all the stores they wanted being in the same location. Finally, the ascension of big box stores gave them the expectation of a one-stop-shop guaranteed to provide steep retail discounts.
How much did retail sales grow in 2018?
Retail sales are growing slowly as a whole. The growth of sales in physical stores in 2018 was merely 3.7%. Meanwhile, ecommerce sales saw a 15% jump. In a decade, ecommerce sales have grown from 5% of the retail market share to nearly 15%.
How many Costco locations are there?
Costco helped to revolutionize the warehouse membership concept. Their 770 locations don’t have a lot of frills (you won’t find aisle information signs or bags for your items), but what they do provide is low cost and high quality goods. Even when retail is slowing down, Costco stays ahead of the game, coming in with almost $141 billion in sales in 2018 alone, a 9.7% growth from 2017.
What is retail sales?
At its simplest definition, retail is the sale of different goods and services to customers with the intention to make a profit.
What were the major changes in the 19th century?
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, America’s business and economic sectors changed dramatically. Agriculture — which had previously been the dominant business — was replaced by manufacturing and industry. Oil, steel, textile, and food production in factories brought new jobs and new standards of living.