Anyone notice the increase of OUTDOOR shopping malls with things like Movie theaters/ a nike store and a JP Licks. LMAO do not be fooled by the image they are portraying, the only reason why outdoor malls are being mass built is because of online shopping and its cheaper to build something outside. I don't know I am not really feeling the vibe of these outdoor entertainment destinations.

ATRL how do you feel about Outdoor shopping malls becoming the newest trend ?

Outdoor shopping malls would be great ideas in warm climates by the beach.

Other than that, I don't get them. If it's rainy, cold, windy, I'd rather just go to a normal mall.

Exactly esp here on the East Coast LMAOO why would you build something outside when this is not LA..

We don't have shopping malls in my city. Everything is integrated into the city centre and surroundings. Outdoor shopping malls seem cute though

I hate outdoor malls, I have to plan shopping at certain places around the weather and that's not okay

Yep, I'm in NYC and I know NJ and PA are building a few and I'm like

You realize it gets cold and rains/snows often....?

This

Yeah they just built one near me and it's literally miserable when it rains or is even windy, we got there and went back to a normal mall.

Not NJ, a mess.

Is an outdoor shopping mall just like a high street? I'm finding it hard to visualise

Like that with the stores you find at regular malls

The Grove, and many others in CA, SLAY.

Outdoor malls are trashy except in spring and fall, even then...indoor malls >>

Ah ok! I have a few of those near me, they're cute.

I live in Arizona, so there's tons of them around. I like them. They tend to have nice decor and each have certain stores another might not. The weather is nice year around except for the brutal summer which last about 2 and a half months. During the summer, you just shop at an indoor mall.

There's so many in California, most are outlet stores though.

I feel like these are usually OUTLET/factory stores though? It's a different niche to the retail industry than an indoor mall, which as far as I am aware, does not usually include outlet stores. I've never seen an outdoor, non-outlet mall. I feel like they have a slightly different purpose.

plus indoor malls declined after the internet boom. Anchor department stores took a hit when sears started dying and then the economy around indoor malls was destabilized, and then internet shopping messed up a lot of things. I remember reading a really cool article about the current state of indoor malls, of all things

This pic looks like something Tanger Outlets would build tbh. (They build all their malls the same)


Anyway, shopping areas like this are called lifestyle centers

Some include a residential component (essentially apartments on top of the retail) and open spaces like courtyards or water features to mimic the whole "live, work, play" feel.

When it comes to malls vs Lifestyle Centers, I prefer malls. There's an element of crime, sure, but if I'm going to be browsing a 100+ store selection, i'd prefer to do it in a climate controlled environment with protection from the elements and a food court (some of these places don't even have centralized food courts). My mall has a small outdoor section, and its fine, but I still like to go inside for the most part, especially if there's a thunderstorm on the way.

Fun fact: no new indoor mall opened in the U.S. opened from March 2006 - October 2014.

In The Netherlands, we barely have indoor shopping malls. These are rare.

This is how our shopping streets look like.



Only in big cities they built indoor shopping malls outside the city center.

People here prefer the outdoor shopping streets in the old city.
Malls tend to have no identity, are boring. You can't just sit down somewhere and drink a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in the sun while shopping.