Foot traffic in traditional malls has declined significantly in recent years. According to the South African Council of Shopping Centres, centres that rely solely on retail have seen slower recovery post-Covid, while mixed-use destinations have rebounded faster.
Kelly Belman, general manager at Clearwater Mall. Image supplied
This shift reflects a deeper change: South Africans are no longer visiting malls just to shop. They are looking for connection, variety and meaningful experiences.
Cafés and open-air dining, wellness spaces, pop-ups and local culture now matter more than discount signs. The malls that are thriving are those that have moved beyond retail, becoming curated marketplaces where shopping is only part of the reason to stay.
Clearwater Mall’s GM, Kelly Belman offers insights into the topic.
The mall as we once knew it with rows of identical chain stores, a food court and a few anchor tenants, is fading into the rear-view mirror. Retail is not dying, but it is being redefined.
And those who manage malls must accept this shift not as a challenge but as an opportunity to evolve.
Today’s consumer expects more than transactions. They want experience, convenience, connection and a sense of place. If malls are to remain relevant, they must become something far more meaningful than a shopping destination.
They must behave like marketplaces, not just of goods but of ideas, people and culture.
That means rethinking the role a mall plays in its community. It is no longer just about leasing space to stores. It is about curating a living environment where retail is only one part of a broader mix.
Strategic reinvention
The modern mall blends shopping with dining, fitness, entertainment and wellness. It creates space for everything from yoga studios and climbing gyms to boutique cinemas, sensory play zones and regional food concepts.
This is not window dressing. It is strategic reinvention grounded in a clear understanding of consumer behaviour. People are not drawn to malls purely by need; they are drawn by intent.
They come for experiences, social interaction and discovery. The retail follows.
Forward-thinking mall operators are beginning to treat their centres less like commercial sites and more like cultural spaces.
The result is a stronger sense of place and purpose that extends beyond retail. By introducing local pop-ups, hosting community events and programming seasonal activations, these spaces evolve throughout the year.
Collaborations with homegrown brands and independent creators add authenticity and local relevance while keeping the environment fresh and engaging.
Technology plays a supporting role here, but not in the way many assume. It is not about flashy gadgets or gimmicks. It is about streamlining the user experience so visitors can spend more time enjoying the space and less time navigating it.
Smart parking systems using licence plate recognition, for instance, remove friction from arrival and departure.
Meanwhile, analytics help us understand how visitors move, what attracts them and how to keep them coming back.
That is where data becomes powerful, not as surveillance but as insight. A mall is a complex organism. When we track movement patterns, dwell time and consumer preferences, we can adjust our mix in real time.
This agility allows us to test new formats, trial hybrid retail concepts and identify gaps that traditional leasing strategies often miss.
Crucially, none of this works without people. The modern mall must be built around human needs, not spreadsheets. This is especially true of younger audiences.
Millennials and Gen Z are not driven by the same retail loyalties their parents had. They crave authenticity, novelty and experience. They want to know the coffee they are drinking supports a local roaster, or that the art in the atrium is made by someone who lives nearby.
This is where mall managers have an edge if we are paying attention. We are uniquely placed to offer platforms to small businesses, independent creators and underrepresented voices. These partnerships do not just refresh the tenant mix, they inject energy, relevance and meaning into the space.
But relevance does not mean chasing trends. It means listening, learning and adapting with purpose. It is about knowing when to hold onto what works and when to let go of what does not.
This might mean converting underperforming retail units into co-working lounges or meditation pods. It might mean transforming a corridor into an art gallery or a parking deck into a rooftop garden.
The economics of retail property are changing, and square metreage alone is no longer the metric of success. Dwell time, community engagement, brand equity and social media traction are equally valuable indicators of a mall’s health.
The most successful centres in the next decade will not be the biggest. They will be the smartest.
There is a misconception that e-commerce is the death knell of physical retail. In reality, the opposite is proving true.
The digital age has sharpened the role of physical spaces. Stores are no longer about stock. They are about story. They are places where brands come to life, where consumers can touch, try and engage.
Malls that understand this are creating rich, layered environments that make people want to linger, return and share.
This is not a short-term shift. It is a structural transformation that is redefining how retail works.
Mall managers are no longer just landlords. We are curators, strategists and place-makers. With the right mix of creativity, data and community insight, malls can continue to grow, not by holding onto the past, but by building something genuinely new.
The digital age has not made physical spaces obsolete. It has made them more important than ever. But only if we are willing to rethink their purpose.
