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Shopping malls in the United States show signs of recovery after changes in the mix
Meeting between the ABF Expansion Committee and Ancar Shopping Centers showed the new path that the chain's centers are seeking and how this has to do with bars and restaurants.
The image of a food court, with tables shared between several fast food chains, is no longer consistent with reality and even less with the future of shopping malls.
A long and detailed presentation discussed the role of shopping malls from their inception in Brazil, with the Brasília National Ensemble, to the new “festival” formats, in which themed spaces combine attractions for adults and children.
Children's events increase the sale of alcoholic beverages
Marcelo Carvalho, president of Ancar
The traditional shopping mall chain has accumulated successes with the creation of spaces such as 'Rua do Rio' and its variations' Quintal 'and' Alpendre ', all open formats aimed at families.
Evandro Ferrer, CEO of Ancar, pointed out that these operations are the least profitable, requiring space for rooms with exclusive tables, and they do not return in the same proportion, but, like the role of anchor stores in the past, they energize the shopping flow, generating sales for other operations.
Adapting to New Consumer Demands
A structural change is under way, moving away from the focus on attractiveness, when malls subsidized large retail chains that offered excellent shopping conditions, and a wide reach to focus on frequency and intensity.
Changes brought about by online retail, food delivery, in which consumers are no longer forced to travel to make their purchases, make the cold and passive shopping that waits for customers to arrive unfeasible.
We see a return of the “festival” format, themed malls, whose main theme is the neighborhood.
Festival Malls they stop being a niche to take over the domain, being able to create more opportunities to visit, which go beyond shopping, and capture larger slices of the budget by expanding the mix for entertainment and services.
As a result, all the centers that created their festive appeals begin to reap the benefits of the open spaces that enhance the retail calendar.
In the background, we see a change in the mall's relationship with its area of influence, going from reach to depth.
3 steps to change
- Seek real understanding of your immediate communities
- Design renewal strategies that attract the most exciting brands to these audiences
- Put on the sandals of humility and recognize that the parts may be more important than the whole, another way of saying that the mall is relatively less important than its key operations
Success Cases
The report of the Southgate Mall in Missoula, MT, which received an increase in visits with the opening of the Texas Roadhouse operation, is representative of the enormous influence that certain operations now have on the mall as a whole.
For those unfamiliar, the Texas Roadhouse is a steakhouse renowned for its hand-cut meat and rustic atmosphere, with employees dancing line-dancing and peanut shells on the floor, creating an informal and fun dining experience.
There are several cases of chains capable of injecting life into shopping malls
In Brazil, the network Five Sport Bar There are still few units left, but its model optimized for high frequency of visits is interesting for any and all malls.
Wineries have always been perceived as intimidating places, permeable only to those with deep pockets and refined knowledge.
This market gap has been filled by Total Wine & More, a North American chain that offers a wide selection of wines, beers and spirits.
Recognized for its wine education program at competitive prices, the network is educating its consumer base and is also creating new opportunities for trips to the store.
Wines and beverages are historically underrepresentative categories in shopping malls, leading to more frequent visits and new shopping opportunities.
Cotsco and Ace Hardware show the strength of purchasing cooperatives, in which customers are partner-buyers, paying annuities in exchange for benefits.
Loyalty programs aren't offshoots of the business, they're the business itself.
The mall that has such a store in its mix has a frequency and larger tickets.
Also living in a polarized political environment, North American consumers have sought refuge in familiar environments, which value traditions in recipes and hospitality.
This explains the success of chains such as LongHorn Steakhouse, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers with their rescue of Midwestern home cooking, to Culver's strong ties with the local community, which are celebrated for emphasizing family values and the flavors of the heart of America.
On the other side of polarization, there are urban and sophisticated audiences that value the healthy and conscious appeal of ingredients.
The Playa Bowls chain, specializing in açaí bowls and juices, is a rising brand in New York.
Caribou Coffee is proud to privilege local suppliers, while CAVA is right to offer Mediterranean cuisine in casual and quick service.
While some cry, others sell handkerchiefs.
The crisis at Subway, too, favors the growth of Jersey Mike's Subs.
The public that starts the day very early finds shelter at First Watch, a restaurant chain that serves breakfast and lunch.
Mod is a kind of pizza Spoleto, it has been expanding its format in which customers can customize pizzas with various ingredients for a fixed price.
Even barbecuing can be lighter and healthier at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.
These and other brands were featured on the list of 50 brands that grew the most in searches on Yelp, specializing in restaurants.
The vast majority of featured brands (70%) are new companies, even if their strategies are to 'recover traditions'.
Each of them has attracted the interest of their audience, which is converted into a flow to their stores, favoring the malls where they are located.
Is it the end of the mall exempt
Consumers are looking for brands that go beyond the product's core need, such as just “killing hunger”, but that connect to broad worldview concepts.
Until then, the malls had been left out of this demand, but now we have clear signs that the political-social movement has caught up with them.
Those who know how to capture the external moment have a chance of remaining relevant, since a new dynamic is in place, whether they like it or not.
Photos from the ABF Expansion Committee Event with Ancar
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