When I was a preteen, there was nothing more exciting for my friends and me than spending weekends walking around the mall and shopping with the little allowance money we had. We would spend the entire day together until whichever mom we convinced to drive us there was ready to pick us up.
As we’ve grown up, the excitement surrounding malls seems to have faded along with our youth.
Many malls in the United States have seen far less foot traffic over the past few years. Those that house high-end stores or focus on the experience with entertainment, unique stores and restaurants are still thriving. However, the classic suburban indoor mall–the one I grew up with–has struggled to remain relevant.
Malls are not simply losing shoppers; the very model that once sustained them is changing.
For many visitors, malls were less about transactions and more about connection: spaces to gather with friends, linger for hours and simply observe the world around them. As researchers at Yale Customer Insights note, malls were often perceived as a “happy environment,” where “most people are happy when buying things in the moment.”
Yet as e-commerce has reshaped consumer expectations and many shopping centers have failed to meaningfully reinvent themselves around that sense of connection, the traditional mall model has fallen short.
E-commerce has become an essential part of retail, causing in-person shopping to stagnate. With global internet access increasing at a rapid rate, the number of people making online purchases is expanding along with this access.
Global data and market research company Statista states, “In 2025, retail e-commerce sales are estimated to exceed 3.6 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide, and this figure is expected to reach new heights in the coming years.” Consumers are seeking convenience, which online markets are providing. Statista continues on to say, “New technologies and automation are making the customer journey and order fulfillment process more efficient, turning online retail into a well-oiled machine.”
Not only is e-commerce corrupting the once prosperous suburban mall, but consumer expectations are hurting them as well. Many customers are no longer walking into malls only looking for something to buy–they are looking for an immersive community experience that is not as present anymore.
Kirsten Lee, executive vice president of luxury leasing at Brookfield Properties took notice of this shift and added a bowling entertainment complex and yoga studio to Brookfield’s Tyson’s Galleria in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia.
According to her interview with CNBC, Lee said, “That has helped to increase the amount of crossover shopping with customers who may hit the lanes for some games of bowling and then go look for a new shirt.”
In many ways, consumers are not only changing their shopping habits because of the convenience of online shopping, but because of the disappearance of a suburban gathering space. Revitalization efforts show that what consumers miss about malls is the community, culture and connection.
There may still be some hope for a comeback. Although many changes would be necessary in order for a revival as the decline has been steady over the past few years, malls could still have a future.
Eposnow suggested several ways malls can rebrand, including becoming more experience-based, focusing on niche markets, becoming more community-focused and making themselves appealing to younger generations.
Adding entertainment options, incorporating technology and hosting events establishes malls as a community hub rather than simply being a place to buy things. Additionally, more unique and specialized stores will attract consumers looking to shop in a more niche market. Integrating these aspects will begin to help malls set up a new narrative for themselves to bring in consumers.
Perhaps malls will never look the same as they once did, but I sure hope they do. While online shopping is easy and enjoyable, nothing can beat the social experience and the irreplicable memories the mall offers. With a new strategy, malls can continue to remain relevant and provide the next generation with the same sense of community I relished at their age.
