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Continued Draw of Open-Air Shopping Centers
Some moments in our lives remain ingrained in our heads. One such time period was March of 2020, when it felt like the world suddenly stood still as malls, street retail, and dining establishments closed, everyone masked up, and only essential retail and health services continued. After a while, limitations relaxed, but not without a subconscious preference for open-air shopping centers that appears to linger to this day. Granted, many open-air shopping centers are also newer or redeveloped, thus likely contributing to their popularity. However, there’s no doubt that they’ve rebounded at a higher rate compared to their indoor mall and even outlet mall counterparts.
We analyzed traffic data for one of the most-visited open-air shopping centers in the nation, Victoria Gardens, to see what sets it apart and what continues to draw consumers to open-air centers.
This open-air shopping center is over 1.1 million square feet and hosts over 160 retailers within its borders. In addition to marquee brands such as Apple, lululemon, AMC Theatres, and Cheesecake Factory, it also has regional favorites such as Seven Grams dumpling house and cult-favorite Duck Donuts. Boasting a 160 acre main street community, its walkable layout beckons while classics play in the background. Quite a few of the concepts at Victoria Gardens are on trend. For instance, the Food Hall features local eatery Elephant Thai, which is perfectly in keeping with the popularity of all things Thai these days with Season 3 of White Lotus being set in Koh Samui.
Another genre that one doesn’t often see in more urban mall locations are two retailers devoted to Western wear – Buckle and Tecovas.
Tecovas has a fascinating backstory with its founder, Paul Hedrick, partnering initially with bootmakers from Leon, Mexico, the “boot-making capital of the Americas” and selling his first pairs from the backseat of his SUV. With an average dwell time of 40 minutes between April 2024 and February 2025 and holiday spikes for Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s clear that for many shoppers, a pair of Tecova boots are on their wishlist.
One of the more unique aspects of this mall is its Cultural Center on premise. With a performing arts theater, library, and interactive children’s museum right next to retail, dining, and a movie theater, it’s truly a one-stop shop for its community.
As shopping centers continue to evolve, with many adopting a Town Square approach, the appeal of open-air shopping centers – full of public spaces, greenery, walkable paths, and fresh air – will only continue to grow.
For more data-driven consumer insights, visit placer.ai/anchor
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