The heart of American consumerism has transformed into a ghost town. Social trends and e-commerce may be the downfall of U.S. shopping malls.
In the Kansas City metro, we have five main shopping centers. The Country Club Plaza, Oak Park Mall, Independence Center, Zona Rosa and the Legends Outlets. Comparing these locations from when we were younger to now, we cannot deny there has been a significant decline in foot traffic, stores and overall atmosphere.
What used to be the bustling hub of the Northland, Metro North Mall, is now a desolated Macy’s Department store. Those who grew up in the Northland may remember the array of hot air balloons bobbing up and down at the mall’s epicenter engulfed by the scent of chlorine.
Several factors are responsible for this decline. With online shopping on the rise, this downfall is inevitable. On the other hand, prices, social media and even safety issues play a huge role.
“The culture died down when the prices shot up,” Arlin Carreon, UMKC senior and business major said. “The economic pressures kind of limited everything.”
This is partially responsible for the lack of a younger crowd present or what used to be “mall rats.” Kansas City has unfortunately experienced safety issues at these locations in recent years.
“With the shootings that happened at Independence mall, a lot of people saw it on social media,” Carreon said. “Mall visits really died down from there – people are just scared to go back.”
Today, people seem to frequent the Country Club Plaza and Oak Park Mall more for their variety of stores.
With these safety concerns, economic climate and the wider variety of items online, it is no wonder e-commerce has taken control. The question is whether or not shopping malls will be able to make a comeback in this lifetime.
Carreon said that a sort of revamped retailtainment (retail and entertainment) could help bring these malls back to life.
“As a marketing major, there’s always something companies can do to bring themselves back,” Carreon said. “Hosting events and creating a communal space people are attracted to, getting the word out on social media (and) doing things to catch people’s eye.”
