Bringing shoppers back will require an evolution of what these spaces offer.
Navigating downtown’s Westfield San Francisco Centre during the holidays has always been a frenetic battle of bumping elbows, slinging shopping bags and scouring for end-of-year deals.That was also true at Stonestown, a sprawling suburban mall on The City’s western edge. Though the parking lot was packed, the stores lacked their characteristic queues, while the food court, mochi donut shop and popular udon spot hummed with life.
“Consumer preferences have shifted,” said Steven Rodgers, managing director of Deloitte Insights Consumer Industry Center. “There was a time when you and I couldn't imagine buying shoes online. And that was not too long ago.” But today, he said, the pandemic ushered in a new reliance on online shopping, not just for clothing or televisions but also for groceries, meal deliveries and prescriptions.
But even before COVID blanketed the country and upended our lives, Rich said some were concerned that downtown’s retail was growing too fast for its own good. “During this holiday season, what we saw was in-store shopping foot traffic was up slightly, but the sales conversions weren't,” said Rodgers. “So what we saw is that people were seeking an experience, longing to go touch and see objects — and people want to experience that sense of holiday to the extent that the indoor experience brings it.”
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