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Make your retail goals happen at the mall

Why the mall offers more for your brand than street retail

So, you’ve decided to open a new brick-and-mortar store — that’s great! Physical stores continue to lead retail sales and are the perfect way to expand your brand to a new audience. But before you dig deep into the financial decisions, marketing options, and staffing choices that you’ll need to make, you should first determine your new store’s location.

While street retail has become a trendy place for brands to open shop, the benefits of opening a store at the mall shouldn’t be overlooked and might even save you time, money, and stress along the way. Here we’ll explore the benefits of opening a store at a mall versus street retail, debunk some common myths, dive into different perks malls offer, and provide tips to ensure that your business thrives.

Really? The mall?

You've heard it before — "malls are dying." However, despite years of headlines making this claim, studies are finding that malls are very much “alive.” In 2024, over 70% of retail sales happened in physical stores, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

GGP CEO of North American Retail & Office Kevin McCrain put it plainly: “The narrative around the enclosed mall dying is just completely unfounded. Shoppers come back year after year, our sales go up year after year, our retailers perform year after year, whether that was before COVID or after COVID, that is one universal truth.” With younger shoppers craving real-world connection, malls are thriving as social hubs — places to meet, shop, and stay awhile.

It's all at the mall

As you start imagining your dream retail space, it may sound thrilling to open your very own storefront on a bustling city street. But before you commit, you should consider the wide range of perks and built-in benefits a store at a mall can provide for your business. Let’s look at some of these:

Built-in foot traffic: Malls maintain consistent and concentrated foot traffic year-round, especially during weekends, holidays, and events. Since most malls are climate controlled, shoppers can visit in the rain, snow, or heat. Street retail may offer ample foot traffic, but that foot traffic is often seasonal or weather permitting. Street retail stores may also face issues beyond their control that impact foot traffic like limited parking or sidewalk construction.

Curation: Opening your store at a mall can help you reach your target audience. Since malls mindfully tailor their tenants to align with the wants and needs of the local community, your store will be positioned alongside other retailers who serve the same demographics. Being near complementary brands boosts visibility and can positively improve your brand recognition, association, and awareness.

Dwell time: Malls provide a place to explore, dine, find entertainment, and connect with community. People visit malls with the intention to spend time there. According to a 2024 Worldmetrics report, the average shopper visits a mall 3.4 times per month and spends about 74 minutes (≈1.2 hours) per visit. Gitnux reports align with this data, indicating an average duration of 1.5 to 2 hours per mall visit.

Additionally, mall shoppers tend to visit multiple stores, increasing overall sales. A 2025 Gitnux study found that about 60% of mall visitors make a purchase during their visit. This is significantly higher than the typical 20%–40% benchmark reported for all brick-and-mortar retail, suggesting that mall shoppers are more likely to make purchases. Your business should be where the people are — and where they’re spending money!

Data and analytics: Another perk is the traffic data, shopper demographics, and sales benchmarks that mall owners provide their tenants. This information can help inform your business and staffing decisions. Street retail tenants have to gather this data on their own, which can be limiting and time-consuming.

Pop-up opportunities: Some malls even offer short-term or flexible lease options like kiosks and pop-ups. These are perfect if you’re looking to test new products or a new market. Check out our article on store formats to learn about the different options you have for opening a store in a mall. It may be worthwhile to soft launch your brand in a mall with a kiosk, as opposed to starting with a long-term lease.

Marketing and community building: Malls come with built-in advertising. They often have their own social media and marketing channels that you can utilize to reach an established audience. Malls also host seasonal events, community activations, and cultural gatherings that could bring a whole new set of eyes to your store — something most street locations can’t offer.

See? The mall isn’t just alive — it’s thriving! With built-in foot traffic, curated neighbors, and year-round comfort, malls offer a ready-to-go retail ecosystem where your brand can not only exist but also truly shine.

So, before you lock in a lease, consider the people — and perks — waiting at the mall. Whether you’re launching a flagship store, testing the waters with a kiosk, or expanding your business, there’s a space for you. Ready to check out your options? Explore GGP’s nationwide portfolio — 61% of the U.S. lives within an hour of our malls.