#shoppinbg

[nickgerlich]

Mall Shook Up

Our recent discussions about the doom and gloom facing current movie theatre chains got me to thinking about other bastions of the past that are on equally unstable ground. And there is perhaps no more wobbly a relic of our past than the mighty enclosed shopping mall.

Before we dive in, let me make it clear that I do not think they are all going to curl up and die just yet. But let’s face it. When about three quarters—that’s a full 75%—of our inventory of malls did just that since the 1980s, you have to wonder about the long term viability of the concept. One analyst predicts that the current stable of 700 malls could be whittled down to 150 in a decade.

It is interesting to note that malls were originally conceived as gathering places. Architect Victor Gruen, who designed the first fully enclosed mall still in use today in Edina Minnesota—Southdale Center—envisioned a climate-controlled environment in which people could escape the elements and could congregate under one roof. And this included not just shopping, but also dining, socializing, and even entertaining.

He was right, even though he later came to loathe his creation. In some regards, he was Dr. Frankenstein in the modern era. Malls became such a part of our cultural fabric that they spawned countless TV and movie scenes, because that is where humanity was happening.

In spite of all the social aspects, from senior citizen mall walkers to angst-filled teens and even a few legitimate shoppers, our malls are now by and large becoming near ghost towns. To be fair, there are still some powerhouse malls that likely have enough Teflon to withstand even the most significant forces of change, but they are increasingly becoming a minority.

And what are those forces of change? Of course, we must put online shopping at the top, even though it still only accounts for about 15% of all retail sales. Yes, that percentage spikes during the winter holidays, but the reality is that people still shop in BAM stores.

But there are other forces, notably that curbside and delivery have found traction, and that when we do venture out, we rather like outward-facing shops with nearby parking. Any of the outdoor formats, from strip centers to lifestyle centers and freestanding, are found to be more appealing than the sterility of the airtight mall. We can park in front of our destination. That climate control came to be an albatross; people don’t mind the elements as much as we once thought.

Then there is the matter of time, something that we can never seem to find enough of to complete all of our daily tasks. Shopping malls were designed to be massive time sucks. But who has time to just go browsing? I know I don’t. I cross the threshold of our nearby mall once a year—at Christmas, of course—and with a very purposive list of places to go and things to buy. In. And. Out.

We must also consider mall owners, which are often REITs. As long as stores are turning a profit and occupancy remains high, then life is good. But when departures increase, and especially the time-honored anchor stores, things get tough. Ponder all of the square footage dedicated to indoor commons areas. That area alone could have been put to much better use were the whole complex reconfigured. It costs money to heat and cool such monstrosities.

Today, we are left with the $64,000 question of the century thus far: What to do with these things when they die? Demolition is an easy if painful answer (there go our teenage memories), allowing for a new developer to come in and essentially start from scratch. But we probably don’t need anymore churches that occupy unused retail (they’re on the decline as well). That leaves converting them into warehouses, fulfillment centers, cloud computing facilities, and, if someone is willing to risk some money, adapting the entire space into a new live/work/shop center, retaining some retail elements, but adding apartments, offices, and gyms.



There are variations on this, of course. Whenever I see a mall that has filled empty slots with services, gyms, and adventure spaces, I know I am looking at a dying mall. This is desperation.  The new adventure space at Amarillo’s Westgate Mall is a shining example.

Even though I am not at all a mall shopper these days, I shake my head each time I hear of a mall’s demise. The mall in which I grew up—Dixie Square in Harvey Illinois—was one of the first to die. It shuttered in 1978, and was rented out to film a chase scene in The Blues Brothers movie that came out in 1980. I returned to the abandoned mall in 2010 to photograph it; finally, in 2012 it was demolished.

Poof. Gone. And yet I know there is a small part of my soul on that land.

I have to side with Mr. Gruen on this. He created a monster, and while that monster has some good attributes, it altered the retail landscape. Those effects may never be resolved completely. And that’s a movie I don’t want to watch more than once.

Dr “I Malled Out“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[pepsimaxolotl]

wanna walk to the supermarket or bakery to get a cinnamon swirl and because I don’t think I’ve left the house besides to go to school and get tested all april. But, because I haven’t walked very far at all for along while and my muscles have grown weaker than usual, I don’t think I can make it.

[opticien2-0]

Scottish shoppers suffer the most ‘online shopping fatigue’ study shows

Shoppers in Scotland are keen to return to the High Street (Image: Shutterstock)

Shoppers in Scotland appear to be worst affected by online shopping fatigue, with nearly half of them saying that they would pay more to shop in high street stores.

  The study by Deloitte Digital Scotland, finds that 46% of them want to shop on the high street rather than online after more than a year of on-off lockdowns and other restrictions.

  Just under a third (30%) say that the online experience is simply “not good enough”, while 23% say that online shopping hasn’t met their needs.

  43% of them admit that they are less tolerant of poor online service experience and 39% would spend more with any online retailer that made it easier for them to shop online and, crucially, to interact with retailers and brands online.

  Debbi McLean, Practice Lead at Deloitte Digital Scotland, said the study highlights the need for businesses to continue fine-tuning their digital services and experience as the country eases out of lockdown.

  “While I expect that the high street will be a real hot spot for business growth in the coming months, it is also clear that brands must not lose focus on continuing to improve their digital offerings,” she says.

  McLean continues: “Alongside the joy of being able to shop in physical stores, consumers will continue to rely on digital options for the ease and choice that they offer. If a consumer has a bad experience with a brand online, they are much more likely to visit a competitor’s site.”

  Other habits change

The study also fidns that broader shoppinbg habits have changed in Scotland, with 60% of Scottosh shoppers saying that they are now more likely to spend more with local and independent businesses than before the pandemic. 46% are looking to spend more with companies that support local charities and food banks.

  Robin Baird, Head of Strategy and Design at Deloitte Digital in Scotland, adds: “During lockdown, consumers used local stores and services out of necessity but we’re now seeing that they’re drawn to local businesses out of choice. Local brands can consider more ways to boost local loyalty, for instance by rolling-out subscription services, establishing an online presence or hosting community events.”

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