Suddenly, as Martin was showing the FP guy around, a man in his early 20s strolled by.
“Oh, look, I know that guy!”
the executive told Martin.
“That was one of our influencers!”
“OK, my job is done,'” he thought.
“I’ll just send you the lease!”
FP Movement ended up opening a store in Brickell a few months later.
Luxury mallslike Brickell are doing especially well with Gen Z.
That’s especially true when it comes to dining.
And since they were already at the mall, they did some shopping, too.
Celebrity partnerships have also helped position malls as destinations.
Some had slept in the mall overnight.
Over two years later, the burger joint is still going strong.
“This is a place people come into the building and ask for.”
Over the past three years, aggressive targeting of young shoppers has helped it find its footing financially.
And at the same time, it’s going to make some damn good content."
From a marketing perspective, it makes sense that malls aretargeting young shopperswith high-end offerings.
Studies show that Gen Zers aresplurging more at their agethan previous generations did.
“The instant gratification of buying at a brick-and-mortar location will never go away.”
In Miami, the Brickell mall specializes in high-end retailers, like Marc Jacobs andLuca Faloni.
“The high-low mix is the key thing,” says Martin, the leasing manager.
“You might be drawn to something at Saks.
But you’ve got the option to always afford something at Sephora or H&M.”
Cosmetics andfragrance another Zoomer favorite are also a reliable draw.
In another play to young shoppers, malls have also amped up their schedule of in-person events.
Brickell hosts pop-ups with local chefs.
Scottsdale Fashion Square hosts a Monday Mixer series that includes sunset yoga on a rooftop.
And the Mall of America the nation’s largest mall has added a live-action game show.
“But newer malls are pretty fun.”
“It’s a different world now,” he says.
The message to Gen Z isn’t just “come on down,” he says.
It’s “come on down and show us what you’re up to.”
