Lifestyle
Come for the roller coaster, stay for the shops: Can malls be fun again?
Mall of America’s amusement park is one of the ways the shopping center lures tourists and locals to make a day of their visit.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
In the bleary predawn hours, it’s hard to tell Mall of America from any other high-end shopping center. Workers wield mops, hammers and forklifts. Under dim lights, Cinnabon bakers stretch and roll buttery dough. Around 7 o’clock, mall walkers silently swarm the building, meticulously tracing every nook of the perimeter.
But then, you grasp the scale.
Mall walkers count in the dozens, speed-stepping past towering unlit Christmas trees and 11-foot nutcracker statues. One lap around the mall is just over a mile. Local shopping malls vary in size, of course, but Mall of America is at least three of them stuck together. Maybe seven. Arriving in Minneapolis by plane, you first see it from the sky.
At 10 a.m. — opening time — a caravan of yellow buses releases a horde of middle-schoolers on a field trip. Like a shock wave, they push to the center of Mall of America, where roller coasters loop around a carousel, a zip line, a SpongeBob-themed jumping gym. The amusement park, Nickelodeon Universe, is a top reason locals visit.
“I feel like most of the time, we just go on rides,” says Sarah Matteen, whose 6-year-old daughter, Maeve, just went on her first big-kid ride: the soar-then-plunge Splat-O-Sphere. Now, Maeve is clinging behind her mom’s leg. “She said she had lots of butterflies.”
And now that’s over, what will they do?
The exterior of Mall of America in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
Shoppers stroll inside Mall of America on a catwalk-like bridge connecting stores, food spots and the amusement park.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
“Probably go to a couple of different stores,” Matteen says. Will she buy something? “Probably.”
This was exactly the goal when Mall of America developers, back in 1989, decided to stick five football fields’ worth of roller coasters and playgrounds in the middle — with stores encircling them.
It was rare then; it’s still rare now. But the idea behind it — dubbed “retailtainment” — is a strategy many believe could save the American mall.
After a tipping point, malls try to be destinations
People don’t visit malls like they used to. For two decades, shopping centers have lost sales to the Internet. Foot traffic at indoor malls is 5% below what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to tracking firm Placer.ai.
At the same time, malls have sprawled so much that per capita, Americans still have four times more retail real estate than Europeans, says retail expert Mohit Mohal.
“At some point of time, you know, you reach a tipping point,” says Mohal, who advises malls and retailers at the consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal. Growing by adding locations no longer works, he says, so: “Malls have now been asking, how do I create a compelling value proposition?”
That’s how the mall becomes home to gyms and salons, golf simulators and pickleball courts — not just shops but stuff to do, reasons for people to return. There are even hotels, offices and apartment complexes so a shopper may never have to leave the vicinity.
Passengers soar and whirl on a ride named after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Nickelodeon Universe, the amusement park inside Mall of America.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
Plenty of malls cannot afford this change. Some are too far gone to try. Some grapple with theft or other crime, deciding to resort to limits like curfews.
But of those with a chance to make it for the long haul, many are trying to turn back time — to when a mall was more than just a place to return an online order, but a destination for the day.
They’re adding activities that “traditionally — 20 years back — people would have not gone to a mall for,” Mohal says. “And that is helping revive the traffic in the mall.
“I don’t think it’s the silver bullet, nor would I say that malls are dying, but I would say malls are evolving,” he adds.
If you build it, they will come — and shop
By lunchtime, Mall of America is teeming with toddlers toting Build-A-Bears, babies bouncing in strollers, adults studying store maps. A girl, around 10 years old, dangles from the top of a human claw machine.
The mall started out 80% retail and 20% entertainment, but now the split is closer to 60% and 40%, says Jill Renslow, one of the executives running this place. There’s a Sea Life aquarium, mini golf, arcades, escape rooms and a psychedelic fun house called Wink World. Gleaning from sister malls — New Jersey’s American Dream and Canada’s West Edmonton Mall — Mall of America is now building a water park.
Something stands out, however, talking to mall visitors around these spots: Many say the only things they bought or would buy that day, besides tickets, are snacks at the food court. How does that make sense for the rest of the mall, for the stores?
Some 32 million people visit Mall of America each year. “We’re 70 and sunny every day,” jokes Jill Renslow, one of the executives running the mall.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
“The longer time that [people] spend in a space, typically they’re going to spend more money,” replies Renslow, chief business development and marketing officer. “But even if they don’t on that first visit, they’re going to come back because they had a great experience. … We’re along for the ride for the long haul.”
Mall of America doesn’t disclose financials as a privately held company, but Renslow says retail sales are up 5% so far this year. Visits are up 4%, she says. That’s nearly the reverse of the drop in foot traffic at malls nationwide.
Grabbing a bite turns into a ride — or two
Being a tourist destination certainly helps. Some 32 million people come every year. In a Minnesota winter, “we’re 70 and sunny every day,” Renslow jokes.
Almost on cue, a couple rolls full-size suitcases at the edge of Nickelodeon Universe: Janelle Mayfield and Evan McManus of Louisville, Kentucky.
“We literally just landed,” Mayfield says.
They jumped on the light rail at the airport and discovered it drops them directly at the mall. With a few hours to kill before Airbnb check-in, they thought they’d grab a bite — but found themselves between a log chute and a climbing wall. A roller coaster thunders overhead, heading for a loop.
“I’m wanting to, as soon as the Airbnb opens up, drop off our luggage and then come back,” Mayfield says, laughing.
The mall’s gravitational pull has worked once again.
Dreaming up reasons for people to visit
The strategy, it seems, hinges on a simple premise: Just get people in the door.
Mall of America throws 300-some events a year: the largest gathering of people dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a 67-foot-tall real gingerbread house, hair-bedazzling before Taylor Swift’s concert, wrestling matches, even a rave.
Dan Jasper, who’s in charge of leading visitors on tours of the mall, steps out from behind the scenes of Nickelodeon Universe.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
Dan Jasper says he first visited Mall of America the week it opened in 1992. He’s now a senior vice president who has been with the company for over 19 years.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
“We brainstorm. We go, ‘What can we do? What would be fun? What would grab the attention?’” says Dan Jasper, a senior vice president. “We had a bride and groom get married in Sea Life, in the shark tank, in scuba gear. … Shark knocked her veil off, live on national TV.”
One time, they got singer Ed Sheeran staffing the Lego store. Renslow says the staff constantly tracks upcoming concerts, music and movie releases.
This also means a never-ending hunt for uncommon stores and pop-ups: a spa for children, a shop of Japanese snacks and toys, a physical space for a TikTok brand.
“There’s always been construction here for the whole 16 years I’ve been here,” says Andrew Stokke, a housekeeper, leaning on his cleaning cart at the foot of a roller coaster tower. He points in every direction: “This is brand-new. That’s brand-new. It’s constant.”
Shoppers walk through Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the United States.
Jenn Ackerman for NPR
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Jenn Ackerman for NPR
This, of course, takes a lot of money and staff. Renslow acknowledges this and the fact that Mall of America’s size, history, reputation and private ownership give it power that few other malls enjoy. She also calls change the key ingredient and staleness the enemy of survival.
“You can’t fall by the wayside of just doing what you’ve always done,” Renslow says.
It’s the mall’s job to reinvent itself to draw people in — then it’s up to the stores to turn those visitors into shoppers.
Some of Hollywood’s fallen stars won’t be chowing down on lavish meals tomorrow … ’cause even though they’re getting turkey and other Thanksgiving staples behind bars, it ain’t gonna be what they’re used to.
TMZ’s done our yearly check … and, we know the Thanksgiving menus in prison for inmates like Tekashi 6ix9ine, Suge Knight, Danny Masterson and Tory Lanez, among others.
Here’s what everyone’s gobblin’ down:
Tekashi at MDC Brooklyn:
Tekashi 69 is locked up in the same prison as Diddy, so the two are having the same meal … turkey roast, hot & sour tofu, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables cranberry sauce, turkey gravy dinner rolls and holiday pies.
Suge at Richard J. Donovan Correctional:
Suge Knight’s chowing down on the same food as The Menendez Bros and notable assassin Sirhan Sirhan … green salad with dressing, mashed potatoes, sliced turkey ham, brown gravy, sweet corn, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, assorted pies, chocolate milk and chicken patty.
Danny at California Men’s Colony:
Masterson, spending his first Thanksgiving at CMC, is having baked turkey, whipped potato, candied yams, peas and carrots, salad mix with dressing, a dinner roll, pumpkin pie and chicken patty.
Tory at California Correctional Institute:
Lanez will have roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, cranberry sauce, a dinner roll, pumpkin spice cake and red beans
Lots of people jog the Turkey Trot — moving their feet before they eat. Hopefully, these inmates get some time in the yard before these meals!
Handlers show their hounds during the National Dog Show in 2022 in Oaks, Pennsylvania.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
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Mark Makela/Getty Images
Thanksgiving Day isn’t just about turkey. It’s also about man’s best friend.
Each year, millions of Americans tune in for one of the holiday’s hairiest and most beloved traditions: The National Dog Show.
This month, some 2,000 of the country’s finest canines converge in Philadelphia to compete in their respective categories and, for the furry finalists, the coveted title of Best in Show. They represent 205 breeds, from the Australian shepherd to the Yorkshire terrier.
The contest will air Thursday on NBC — directly after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — for the 22nd year in a row.
Here’s what you need to know about the dog show, from its tail of origin to its newest breeds.
How it works
The dogs of the hour are categorized into seven groups based on their breeds’ characteristics and intended functions: sporting (including labrador retrievers), hound (including greyhounds), working (including boxers), terrier (including Scottish terriers), toy (including pugs), non-sporting (including poodles) and herding (including border collies).
The canines compete within their categories for First in Group, then those seven finalists face off for Best in Show. The winner gets the prestigious title and $20,000 in prize money.
While every dog is the best dog, judges evaluate the hopefuls according to “how closely each dog compares with the judge’s mental image of the perfect dog as described in the breed’s official standard,” based on qualities like appearance, temperament and structure.
Last year’s Best in Show title went to a tiny, cream-colored Sealyham terrier named Stache.
Winston the French bulldog won in 2022, and back-to-back champ Claire the Scottish deerhound won both years before that. Other past winners include Thor the bulldog, Whiskey the whippet and Newton the Brussels Griffon.
Thor the bulldog wins “Best in Show” in the 2019 National Dog Show. The contest has been a Thanksgiving staple since 2002, but started long before that.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
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Mark Makela/Getty Images
How the tradition started
Dog shows have their roots in mid-19th century England, and made their way to the U.S. shortly after the Civil War: The American Kennel Club (AKC) says 21 pointers and setters participated in the country’s first dog show in Chicago in 1874.
In 1877 the Westminster Kennel Club hosted its first dog show, which continues to this day — it’s the second-oldest continuously held sporting event in the U.S., after the Kentucky Derby. The annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, not to be confused with the Thanksgiving competition, is coming up in New York City in February.
The National Dog Show, hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, started in 1879 as the Kennel Club of Philadelphia Dog Show and has been held annually since 1933, according to NBC. It’s sanctioned by the AKC, meaning only purebred dogs registered with the American Kennel Club can participate.
So how did the display of doggies become required Thanksgiving viewing? We have Christopher Guest’s 2000 movie Best in Show to thank.
Jon Miller, the president of programming for NBC Sports, watched the film — a satirical portrayal of a fictionalized dog show — at a movie night and realized the real thing could make for a Thanksgiving hit in the key window between the morning parade and afternoon football.
Miller persuaded Purina to sponsor the event, convinced the Philadelphia Kennel Club to rename it the “National Dog Show” and persuaded his bosses to give it a try, according to the Washington Post.
At the time, NBC had been filling that slot with reruns of It’s a Wonderful Life, but the network noticed it wasn’t holding viewers’ attention. Executives let Miller try it out for a single year in 2002 — and the ratings were so high that it’s aired every year since, even keeping the same co-hosts: Seinfeld actor John O’Hurley and presenter David Frei.
Who’s new this year
Handler Jessica Plourde competes with Lancashire heeler Mando during breed group judging at the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in May in New York.
Julia Nikhinson/AP
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Julia Nikhinson/AP
This year’s show features 205 breeds, the most ever. And one of them is brand new to the competition: the Lancashire heeler.
The Lancashire Heeler, which has long been recognized as a breed in the United Kingdom, joined the AKC’s list of official dog breeds earlier this year, making it eligible for thousands of U.S. dog shows.
The dogs, originally bred as cattle herders and ratters, are classified as part of the herding group.
Lancashire heelers have long bodies and short coats, often in black and tan. The Associated Press describes their shape as a “bit like a downsized corgi.” They are typically between 10 and 12 inches tall and weigh between 9 and 17 pounds, according to the AKC, which describes them as intelligent, versatile and affectionate.
“They are affectionate with their owners, always happy, talkative and always ready for a walk,” the organization says. “They have a unique characteristic called the Heeler Smile; when content, Heelers have been known to draw back their lips in an effort that emulates a human smile.”
The Kennel Club, U.K. recognized the breed in 1981 and placed it on its endangered species list in 2003 due to the small number of dogs making up the gene pool and the risk of several inherited diseases. The AKC estimates there are only about 5,000 Lancashire heelers worldwide.
How to watch
The dog show directly follows Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and will air on NBC from noon to 2 p.m. in all time zones. It will also stream on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
And for those looking for more on-demand doggo content, the shows from 2013 to 2023 are also available to stream on Peacock.
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