GLENDALE, AZ — The holiday season often brings shoppers back to bustling malls—but even as Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix is being demolished, other shopping centers like Arrowhead Town Center in Glendale are thriving, showcasing a shift in the retail landscape.
Although some ABC15 spoke to say they rarely go to Arrowhead or prefer online shopping, Arrowhead's Senior Marketing Manager Rachel Olish says foot traffic is surging.
She says they have seen significant increases in foot traffic year-over-year, including Black Friday.
Olish credits the mall’s success to its location and ability to adapt to the times.
“The West Valley is one of the most rapidly expanding areas in the state, and we are very much aware of it,” Olish said. "We know it’s very much in our trade area so we are excited to see more people coming to the area with TSMC and growth along the 303.”
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Beyond location, the mall's stores are investing in modernizing their spaces to enhance the shopping experience.
“We’ve seen stores reinvest, expand, and remodel to give a more modern approach,” Olish added.
Olish says she couldn't give out exact foot traffic or sales numbers.
However, Hitendra Chaturvedi, a supply chain management professor at Arizona State University, explains that if Arrowhead sees more people through the door, the mall has implemented a crucial retail strategy.
“What the smart mall owners are doing is moving away from the box department stores and putting in entertainment zones,” Chaturvedi said.
With events, bowling, arcade games, and a movie theater in addition to its retail and dining options, Olish says they have invested and focused on making sure they are meeting a wide variety of customer needs.
“We have the shopping, the entertainment, and the dining, so we can really satisfy whatever people are looking to do,” she said.
Despite Arrowhead’s success, Chaturvedi cautions that it’s not reflective of national trends.
“By 2032, in the entire country, there will only be 150 [malls] left,” he said, citing data from Capital One shopping.
He says malls were originally built for Baby Boomers and the locations that haven't adapted from the original big box model may be rubble, apartment complexes or green spaces in the future.
