The world’s largest malls continue to become larger, and this interactive StoryMap from Quebec-based Storetraffic takes you on a journey around the world to see where they are. It’s the most unique interactive graphic that we’ve had on Retail Insider to date.
The world’s largest malls are now predominantly in Asia. Prior to the explosion of super-mall growth, the world’s largest mall was Canada’s very own West Edmonton Mall. The Edmonton mall opened in September of 1981, and held to the title as world’s largest until 2004. Although it remains North America’s largest shopping complex, West Edmonton Mall is now considered to be the world’s 18th largest mall.
According to Storetraffic, large shopping malls have evolved to become entertainment complexes featuring cinema and sometimes extensive outdoor and indoor entertainment areas. As well, despite the popularity of some of these malls, some struggle with retail occupancy partly due to their size. West Edmonton mall prospers, however, achieving per-square-foot sales of about $1,200 annually when excluding Phases 1 and 4.
