© 2026 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

What Some Malls Are Doing To Survive

According to the mall tracking group Green Street Advisors, more than two dozen shopping malls have closed since 2010, and dozens more are on the brink of failing.

Robin Lewis, co-author of “ The New Rules of Retail: Competing in the World’s Toughest Marketplace,” says that some malls are doing interesting things to stay operating.

He says one example is the Plaza Fiesta mall in Atlanta, Georgia, which has remade itself into a destination for Latino families — offering family events and a Mexican flea market.

Lewis also mentions the South Coast Plaza mall in Costa Mesa, California, which has a wide range of restaurants and activities. He says it has been one of the most sought-after malls by his readers since he started his retail strategy website The Robin Report.

Guest

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Congress just eliminated federal funding for KCUR, but public radio is for the people.

Your support has always made KCUR's work possible — from reporting that keeps officials accountable, to storytelling to connects our community. Help ensure the future of local journalism.