Posted on October 5, 2017
A report by CBRE, “What’s Wrong with American Shopping Malls?” finds retailers with low-growth rates, such as department stores, occupy a majority of U.S. shopping malls’ gross leasable area compared to retailers with higher-growth categories such as restaurants and home furnishings. This disparity, according to CBRE, indicates malls should lease to different retailers to stay competitive.
However, shifting the merchandise mix will take time. The report states retail leasing structures, such as reciprocal easement agreements that require a retailer’s permission before modifications are made to the shopping center, and the overall reluctance to change among department stores will delay the process. Those who “shift the tenant mix toward higher-growth, lower e-commerce penetration spending categories can create room for revenue growth.” CBRE also notes super-regional malls, characterized by larger sizes and diverse combinations of tenants, have demonstrated a sharp increase in net operating income over regional malls during the past four years.