Shopping centers, also known as malls or shopping malls, are a 20th century adaptation of the traditional market, designed to accommodate cars. Theme or festival centers have a unifying theme that is followed by their individual stores, as well as their architecture. Neighborhood centers usually have a commercial area of 30,000 to 150,000 square feet (2,800 to 13,900 m) and serve a main area within 3 miles (5 km). Belz Enterprises opened the first factory-closed mall in 1979, in Lakeland, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis. A mall is a type of shopping mall, a North American term that originally referred to a pedestrian walkway with stores along it.
However, in the late 1960s it began to be used as a generic term for large shopping centers anchored by department stores, especially closed centers. Pedestrian malls (shopping streets) in the United States have been less common and less successful than in Europe. In the 1940s, the term mall implied comprehensive design planning that included design, signage, outdoor lighting and parking; and shared business planning that encompassed the target market, the types of stores and the variety of stores. A shopping gallery is an earlier type of shopping precinct where the connecting walkways are not owned by a single owner and can be outdoors or covered by a gallery on the ground floor. Community centers typically have a commercial area of 100,000 to 350,000 square feet (9,300 to 32,500 m) and serve a main area of 3 to 6 miles (5 to 10 km).
Energy centers are closed or outdoor vertical shopping centers or, in central cities, that have almost exclusively several large retailers as anchors. A regional mall is, according to the International Council on Shopping Centers, in the United States, a mall that is designed to serve an area larger than that of a conventional mall. The suburban mall concept further evolved with larger outdoor malls supported by major department stores. Two of the largest malls of the time were located in the San Fernando Valley, a suburban area of Los Angeles. Other large cities created game rooms and shopping centers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Cleveland Arcade and GUM in Moscow which opened in 1890. Many of the first shopping galleries such as Burlington Arcade in London, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and numerous galleries in Paris are famous and still function as shopping centers while many others have been demolished.
Petersburg which opened in 1785 can be considered one of the first shopping mall-type shopping complexes built for this purpose as it consisted of more than 100 stores covering an area of more than 53,000 m2 (570,000 square feet). In the United Kingdom Chrisp Street Market was the first pedestrian shopping area built with street-level store windows. Shopping centers come in many shapes and sizes. From small neighborhood centers to large regional malls and from indoor malls to outdoor malls. Each type has its own unique features and benefits.
Understanding what each type offers can help you decide which type is best for your needs. Neighborhood centers are typically smaller than regional malls and offer convenience for local shoppers. They usually feature smaller stores such as grocery stores or drugstores as well as specialty shops such as clothing stores or restaurants. These types of centers are often located near residential areas so they are easily accessible for local shoppers. Community centers are larger than neighborhood centers but smaller than regional malls. They usually feature larger stores such as department stores or big box retailers as well as smaller specialty shops.
These types of centers are often located near residential areas but may also be located near office parks or other commercial areas. Regional malls are typically larger than community centers and offer more variety for shoppers. They usually feature multiple department stores as well as smaller specialty shops. These types of malls are often located near major highways so they can draw shoppers from a wider area. Theme or festival centers are unique because they feature stores that all follow a specific theme or concept. These types of malls often feature entertainment options such as movie theaters or amusement parks along with their retail offerings.
These types of malls are often located near tourist attractions so they can draw visitors from out of town. Energy centers are closed or outdoor vertical shopping centers that feature multiple large retailers such as department stores or big box retailers. These types of malls are often located near major highways so they can draw shoppers from a wider area. No matter what type of shopping center you’re looking for – neighborhood center, community center, regional mall, theme center or energy center – understanding what each type offers can help you decide which one is best for your needs.
