Guest commentary: The magic of the mall lives on this holiday season
By Jennifer Duarte
We’ve all heard the whispers — or seen the social media comments — over the past decade: “Malls are dead.” It’s an easy narrative in the age of one-click online shopping and next-day delivery. But as someone who has spent more than two decades in the shopping center industry, managing more than 25 retail properties — I see a different story.
I don’t see a decline. I see connection. I see opportunity. And during the holidays and New Year’s, especially, I see the magic of the shopping center firsthand.
Malls were never just about shopping. They were (and are) about experiences. They’ve been the backdrop to some of life’s most quintessential memories. Who doesn’t remember their first holiday shopping excursion and the pride they felt when paying for the perfect gift with their own money?
Or the sweet treats offered in exchange for a new photo with Santa Claus? For others, it’s the ritual of a lazy post-New Year’s Day morning with a warm drink in one hand and a resolutions list in the other. These aren’t just transactions. They’re moments in the lives of our community.
It’s true that the retail landscape has changed. Consumer habits have shifted, moving away from midnight doorbuster sales to putting a high value on services and convenience. But that doesn’t mean the model is broken — it means it’s ready for reinvention.
Malls that succeed throughout this next chapter won’t try to replicate the past exactly. Instead, they’ll embrace what made malls beloved, while expanding their role as social and lifestyle destinations that provide opportunities for shared experiences.
At The Collection at Riverpark, we’ve been at the forefront of this transformation. People want places to gather. They want to explore local pop-ups with a cozy hot cocoa, take part in live concerts, grab a bite, attend the holiday tree lighting ceremony — and so much more.
They want places that feel alive — where they can connect, unwind from the stresses of life and escape for a few hours under the glow of welcoming lights. Yes, they’ll still shop. But they’ll also come for the sense of place that malls cultivate.
Successful mall revitalization isn’t about chasing trends or flashy gimmicks for Black Friday deals. It’s about vision. It’s about leadership that believes in the potential of these third spaces to serve as more than traditional retail centers.
Malls that position themselves as vibrant community hubs and platforms for the future, leaning in on their unique opportunity to bring people from all walks of life and backgrounds together, are the malls that will continue cementing their place in the fabric of a community.
In cities across the country, mall properties like The Collection are leaning in on opening their doors to community events, cultural celebrations and nonprofit partnerships. These aren’t side projects; rather, they’re central to the mission of making malls more responsive and connected to the lives of the people they serve.
And it’s working.
The future of shopping centers is rooted in something timeless: connection. While we’re all navigating a digital world, we can’t overlook that humans are simply wired to want to be around each other. We crave shared spaces, real experiences and meaningful interactions year-round. These add to our quality of life and remind us that we’re all in it together.
Malls aren’t dying. But they are changing. And they have to. I’m proud to see that our community-first approach has inspired other projects across the region.
And while change can feel scary, reinvention is not a rejection of tradition or all that you’ve loved and found comfort and familiarity in. It’s a recommitment to what made malls magical in the first place.
And if you haven’t experienced that magic recently, there’s no time like the promise of a new year to get reintroduced to the mall. I’ll see you there!
Jennifer Duarte is the director of property management at CenterCal Properties and has overseen The Collection at Riverpark since March 2023.
