Malls have been a staple part of society for more than 50 years now, but the success of malls has radically declined in recent years. This decline in mall patrons is due to the easy access people have nowadays to internet shopping. E-Commerce Giants like Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress have made it much easier to buy things you want online, and in many cases even have delivered by only one day! So, for malls to compete and get people away from the screen, and out of their homes, they have had to pivot their business models to be more enticing to the general audience. Any mall that wants to survive has to give you more than just stores, and many modern mega-malls today, have some of the craziest ways of bringing you to them! We have gathered 50 of the most unique malls in the world today! Take a look, maybe one is near you.
Aventura
Aventura Mall in Florida is a veteran Mega Mall and has not made many changes since opening in April 1983. The mall currently holds 2,800,000 square feet of retail space and 9,800 parking spots! The mall is located at 19501 Biscayne Boulevard, and there is no chance you will miss it. Check out the seven-floor Macy’s, and get yourself a fun themed lunch at the Rain Forest café while you’re there too!
CambridgeSide Galleria
The CambridgeSide Galleria was built in the year 1990 and is located on 100 Cambridgeside Pi in Cambridge MA. A cool thing about this mall is that it is located on a waterfront. So, don’t be surprised to see people pull up on a boat for a shopping trip. It doesn’t boast too much variety of stores and tends to cater to the lower middle class, but the view out the window is spectacular, and the food court is said to be very simple and pleasing.
The Eaton Center
The Eaton Center was opened in 1997 and is located in Toronto Canada only a 15-minute walk from Toronto’s Union Station. It was named after now-defunct Eaton’s Department Store that once anchored the mall. Be sure to come hungry because Eaton’s Center has multiple food courts! Before the brand went under, Eaton’s used to have the world’s biggest Sears outlet that had 817,850 square feet of retail space.
A little bit of Middle East
The middle east takes its mall game seriously, and bring the mall world to a whole new level of standards. The Avenues Mall was opened in 2007 by Mabanee Company and is located on Ghazali Street, Al-Rai- 5th King Road, in no other than the nation of Kuwait. Get ready for a Disney Style mall experience, accompanied by luxury stores and great food. Make sure to pack your wallet though!
DLF Emporio
The DLF Emporia is known as India’s most expensive mall. It was Developed by DLF Limited, was built by Architect Shivani Gupta. Make sure to bring your credit card, because this place really ain’t cheap! Here is just a small list of brands out of the 130 brands that will give you some context on the prices; Gucci, Versace, Bottega Veneta, Kate Spade, Bulgari, Hugo Boss, Armani, Michael Kors, Burberry, Hermès, Tod’s, Tom Ford, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Dior, Fendi, Missoni, Roberto Cavalli, BCBG, Coach.
The Forum
The Forum Shopping Center is located in Bangalore India, and was developed by “Prestige Group,” and opened in 1999. The mall is very cool looking from the outside, and boasts a whopping five floors of indoor space! The mall was known to house the first McDonald’s restaurant in Bangalore. Come ready to watch a movie as there are 12 cinema’s waiting for you inside!
Alto Palermo
The Alto Palermo mall may sound like its located in Sicily, but it’s actually located in Argentina. The mall has a street running right through it and boasts a mirror-like exterior that gives reverence to the beautiful Argentinian sky. Enjoy stores like Calvin Klein, Christian Lacroix, and Christian Dior, and some good old Argentinian food too!
Ambiance Mall
India is a huge country that has over a billion people just living there. So, it would make sense that yet another mall on the list is located there. The Ambience Mall is huge and stands on a nearly two million square feet of land! The mall is located in Haryana India. India’s most expensive restaurant “Spectra,” is located inside, along with a bowling alley, and the five-star hotel, “Leela Kempinski.”
Zhengjia Plaza
China just like India has billions of people living inside her and needs some big old shopping malls to give them something to do on a Sunday. The Zhengjia Plaza is located in No. 228, Tianhe Road, in the city of Guangzhou. The mall is equipped with an indoor ice-skating rink and a gourmet street food section. Come hungry and ready to party with the half a million people who enter the mall every day!
King of Prussia
The King of Prussia is located in Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the biggest mall on the east coast, and for sure lives up to the reputation. The East Coast is actually where the first malls in history were born, and for a while where malls made the most money too! King of Prussia is a labyrinth of fun, with stores, and outlets of all types. There are even multiple restaurants and buffets inside too, and a massive movie theatre.
Bullring Birmingham Centre
The Bullring Center is a colossal gem located in one of the most crime-ridden cities in England. The Street around it has actually been a shopping-oriented area since the middle ages. So, it was only fitting to put one of England’s Biggest Malls smack dab in the middle in 2003. Considering its location, Bullring Birmingham Centre has a bit of something for everyone!
Wynn Esplanade
Okay so not every mall on the list is enormous, and that was not the priority of this list either. The Wynn Esplanade located on Las Vegas Blvd, Nevada, is small but perfect! It may have only forty stores inside, but that means nothing considering they are each hand picked by experts who know exactly what you want to see. Vegas isn’t cheap though, so don’t even bother unless you like window shopping!
Grand Indonesia
The Grand Indonesia is a spectacular place! Its “Zen” food court is divided into five zones called the Bark Zone, Burnt Wood Zone, Glass Zone, Bamboo Zone, and the Brick Zone. The mall is so big it covers 3 districts. Attached to is the five-star Kempinski Hotel just like in India! The Grand Indonesia is really big, really fun, and very inviting. So, get ready to get lost inside!
Centro Commercial Sambil
The Centro Commercial Sambil Mall is part of the South American mall chain “Sambil,” and is located in Avenida Libertador 1010, in Caracas, Venezuela. It has close to 500 shops, and 5 floors of stores, outlets and entertainment options. Let’s not stop there, it also has an art gallery, robotic dinosaurs, and its very own aquarium. Sounds like a good reason to leave the house if you ask me!
MetroCentre
Located in Newcastle, the MetroCentre is the second biggest mall in the UK. Each section of the mall has its own exterior color and is the size of a mall on its own. So really you could say that its five malls in one. The sections are themed as “The Village,” “The Forum,” and “The Studio” where you can enjoy a VIP IMAX movie. Sounds like a good time in the cloudy north UK.
Greenbelt (Ayala Center)
The Greenbelt Ayala Center was built in 1991 at, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It’s built pretty coolly with a substantial open-air courtyard in the middle and a lot of indoor and outdoor eating spaces. You’ll find brands like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Balenciaga inside. It will be worth your time to check it out, and maybe a good hole in your pocket too!
Festival Mall
It’s all in the name with this one. The festival super mall in Muntinlupa City, Philippines, was built in 1998 and just has it all and more. Let’s forget about the massive Ace Hardware inside for a second, and talk about the fact that this place has a big bowling alley, movie theatre, and the biggest dropping roller coaster in the Philippines.
Panamericana Multiplaza
Partying and shopping, you can’t ask for more! The Panamericana Multiplaza is located in San Salvador, El Salvador, and does just that. This big old mall was built in 2004. It’s known to be really fun, and has every fast food chain you can imagine waiting for you inside, couple that with two clubs and seven bars, and you ain’t comin’ home sober that day! Be safe, and have fun!
Bawadi Mall
The Bawadi Mall is located on Zayed Bin Sultan Rd. Al Ain, in the United Arab Emirates. The Emirates is a prosperous nation, and when it was completed in 2012, patrons would be welcomed inside with go-kart tracks, a roller-skating rink, an ice-skating rink, a movie theatre, bowling alley, and the cherry on top is the malls very own roller coaster. The mall cost nearly 3 billion dollars to build, but hey that’s chocolate bar money to some people out there.
Grand Canal Shoppes
We are back in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Grand Canal Shoppes. The Shoppes was built in 1999 and is adjacent to the Venetian Hotel and Casino, and the Palazzo. So basically, you have two options. Either lose all your money shopping or lose it in the casino. But you know what they say, whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!
The Kitai-Gorod GUM
The Kitai-Gorod has been around since 1893 and was recently renovated in 2005. It looks like something out of the French Monarchy’s playbook, but it’s actually located in no other than Moscow Russia! The ceiling is built with 50,000 metal pods that are designed to hold all the snow from collapsing the roof. Fun fact; Stalin ordered it to be changed from an office building in 1928, but in 2005 modern Russia finally understood the building’s potential.
South Coast Plaza
The South Coast Plaza Mall has also been around for quite some time. The 250-store mega shopping plaza was built in 1967 and is located in 3333 Bristol St. Costa Mesa, California. It is known to be the largest mall in the state of California too! The plaza has been the home of scene’s from shows like, “The O.C.,” and shows like “90210“, and “Clueless“. The mall is known to make 800 dollars per square foot a day, and that’s on a slow day!
Del Amo Fashion Center
Let’s keep at it with the USA and talk about the Del Amo Fashion Center in West Carson St. Torrance, California. From 1981 to 1992 it was known as the biggest mall in the world. That is until the Mall of America came around to take the crown. This mall has been around since 1961 and is a classic American staple. Check it out!
The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is one of the biggest and well-known casinos and hotel in the Vegas Strip. It also boasts the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Its more than half a million square foot in size which insane considering it is connected to a casino, and hotel. Just check out the picture, it’s pretty damn cool. Make sure to bring a credit card or two because you’ll be out of cash very soon in Vegas!
Aricanduva Mall
If in the wild chance, you are bored with the endless hiking and beautiful, beaches, views, and delicious food in Brazil, then need not to worry. Sao Paulo has the spot for you; the Aricanduva Mall. This place like the rest of Brazil is pretty nuts! It has 14 automotive dealerships and a huge skatepark to prove it! So, what are you waiting for, forget the views and the beautiful people tanning on the beach! Come buy a car, or break your neck boarding!
Ala Moana Shopping Center
The Ala Moana Shopping Center is located at 1450 Ala Moana Blvd. in no other than Honolulu, Hawaii! The mall was built in 1966 and boasts an annual sales report of more than one billion dollars. It is the largest shopping mall in the state of Hawaii and is rightfully built as an outdoor shopping center. If you made it this far to Hawaii, it’s worth the outdoor shopping hike.
Pitt Street Mall
The Pitt Street mall is not really a mall. It’s actually a big street full of stores. It’s located in Sydney Australia, very close to the humongous Sydney Tower, the second tallest tower in Australia. Pitt Street is a very fun place to enjoy with the family on a sunny Aussie day! Don’t forget that sunscreen.
CentralWorld
The CentralWorld Mall was built in 1990 an is located at 1 Rama Rd, in Bangkok Thailand. Until 2001 it was actually called the “World Trade Center.” So, the name change is pretty obvious there. The mall is connected to a big office tower and has beautiful exterior and interior architecture. It’s also the eleventh biggest shopping center in the world!
Magna Plaza
The Magna Plaza is located at Shopping Center Magna Plaza, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182, 1012 SJ, in Amsterdam Holland. The building has existed since the 19th century and in 1992 was converted from the main post office right behind the Royal Palace, to a beautiful shopping center that boasts fine dining, and amazing neo-gothic architecture. Don’t be alarmed if you’re greeted with a guy passing around cheese at the entrance, or hear live music playing inside in the middle of the day!
Palladium Shopping Centre
The Palladium Shopping Centre was built in 2007 and is located in Namesti Republiky 1, Prague, in the Czech Republic. The Palladium Shopping Centre has constructed actually where a nun monastery used to be. How about that huh! If you go up the escalators a couple of floors, you’ll reach the “Patro Gurman,” meaning Gourmet Floor where you’ll have a choice between 20 luxury restaurants to eat in!
SM City N. Edsa
This mall is by far one of the granddaddies of the mall world and has more than one thousand shops and 400 restaurants! That must only mean one thing. In Quezon City, Philippines, there must be a lot of people with tons of time on their hands! Don’t forget to bring your granny along for the ride to check out the grand bingo hall. Talk about fun!
SM Megamall
We haven’t left the Philippines just yet! The SM Megamall keeps the culture alive and well in the city of Manila, and is located in SM Megamall Building I, Mandaluyong City. There you can choose from 750 stores, that stand six stories high, and stretch to over 44 acres. It also houses a chapel and 12 theatres. Try swinging from that chandelier why don’t you!
Madrid Xanadú
The Madrid Xanadu is located in Autovia A5, Salida 22 – 28939, Arroyomolinos, Spain. Bring your coat with you because this place is home to the biggest indoor snowscape in the world that has enough space to house 300 people. Still bord after that? No worry’s, you can check out the go-kart track, and play a round of mini-golf too!
The IFS Mall
The IFS or “Panda Mall.” Is a very big mega-mall built in Chengdu, China. The mall has an ice rink, a cinema, luxury car gallery, and a roof garden! Still not having fun? Try taking a dip inside the climate-controlled indoor swimming pool. It’s located right next to the Ritz Carlton, and there is no chance you can miss it as there is a colossal Panda sticking its face out of the roof.
SM Mall of Asia
And back we are at the Philippines at another brand of SM Mall, this time the Mall of Asia. The Mall of Asia is one of the biggest malls in the world and has a massive 4.2 million square footage for you to frolic in. It’s not one big building but four connected buildings. Try out the Director’s Club Theatre if you want to enjoy watching a movie on a La-Z-Boy. Not into that? That’s okay! You can always enjoy an Olympic size ice skating rink, or enjoy a game at a 20,000-person arena.
Złote Tarasy
The Złote Tarasy was built in 2007 and is located in Warsaw Poland. The building is not that big at only 205,000 m². It has 200 shops inside, and many fun restaurants to dine in, including the nations, very first Burger King. It also has Poland’s first Hard Rock Café. Enjoy the view of the Warsaw skyline!
Cevahir Istanbul
The Cevahir Istanbul was built in 2005 and is located in Büyükdere Cad. No. 22 Şişli- Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish are known for their love of food, so it’s very befitting that this six-story mall has 34 fast food chains, and 14 different restaurants to choose from. The mall also has an enjoyable indoor roller coaster, and 12 movie theatres to choose from. Good luck being bored or hungry!
GPO
The Australians seem to really not like Post Offices considering they built another mall (the GPO) to stand where the General Post Office of Melbourne used to be. Twice a year the GPO holds Australia’s national Fashion Week. It’s located at 350 Bourke St. So, if you love fashion, sun, and fun, get over there!
Wafi Mall
If you can’t decide between seeing the great pyramids in Egypt or visiting a mega-mall, just bring your way to the Wafi Mall located on Sheikh Rashid Rd., Oud Metha, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. There you will find both. There is also, a China town, theme park, bourbon street, and a frigin’ petting zoo. Take all my money Dubai!
Mall of America
The Mall of America, or MOA as it’s known, is the largest mall in the United States of America, and the 12th largest mall in the world! It was opened in 1992 and is located in 60 East Broadway, Minneapolis, Minnesota. This mall is so big that it has enough space inside to fit seven Yankee’s Stadiums inside of it! Don’t worry about finding a place to park, worry about finding your car, as this mall has more than 12,000 parking spaces!
New South China Mall
The New South China Mall is quite a creepy story. When it first opened in 2005, 99.5% of it stayed vacant for many years. So, the 2,350-store mall was more of a mega ghost mall, than a thriving utopian success. The Chinese learned a big lesson when they opened the New South China Mall, don’t open colossal mall, in a poverty-stricken part of China, far away from anyone who can actually afford shopping!
Tokyo Midtown Galleria
The Tokyo Midtown Galleria was opened in 2007, and is five floors of shopping perfection! It’s located in the Akasaka Minato district in Tokyo Japan, and is known to locals as the place to go if you want to buy an impressive designer outfit, or indulge in fine wines. Coming from overseas? Then why not stay at the Ritz Carlton right next door!
Berjaya Times Square
No this is not actually a mall in NY. The Berjaya Times Square is actually located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Imagine if Six Flags and Times Square (NY) met, fell in love, then had a baby. That baby would look something like the Berjaya Times Square! This place has a 14-ride theme park, a 13-floor mall, and a 3-floor tech mall for all the tech geeks out there!
West Field Shopping Center
West Field Shopping Center is located in Ariel Way, White City, London, the vast mall was opened on October 30th, 2008 and is considered the largest shopping mall in the United Kingdom. The mall is beautifully designed, and very fun to walk around in during Christmas time. The Mall is owned by “Westfield Group,” and cost 1.6 Billion Pounds to build!
Avenue des Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is less of a mall more of an Avenue, but it is one of the biggest, and most famous Avenue’s in the history of man! This big wide street is full of luxury shops, the Louis Viton headquarters are located here, the Bastille Day Military Parade runs through the Champs-Elysees, and even the Tour de France. If you want an entertaining shopping trip with culture, and class too, this is the place to be!
Istinye Park
The Istinye Park offers both indoor, and outdoor shopping. It is a center that features both enclosed, and open-air sections with the open-air section included with a central park, and street side food, and shopping. Istinye Park is located in Pinar Mahallesi, Katar, Turkey. So, if your ever in town, check it out!
Mall of the Emirates
The Mall of the Emirates is the birth of something monstrous that was opened in 2005. Located in Dubai, this place is not known to be the biggest mall on the list, but it looks like a king imagined it, asked a genie for it, and got exactly what he wanted. The parking space in this mall will never be a worry though. You have seven thousand spots to choose from!
West Edmonton Mall
We saved the top three for last for you, and at number three we have the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada. This Mall has an outrageously big amusement park, the largest indoor triple loop roller coaster, an 18-hole golf course, the largest indoor water park, and tons and tons of themed shopping sections, and restaurants.
Golden Resources (Jin Yuan)
The Golden Resources mall is Fourth Ring Rd. Beijing, China, is the biggest mall in the world hands down! It has more the 200 escalators, and 1,000 stores, that stretch on six different floors! The mall is a chilling and mind-numbing six million square feet in size! It’s reportedly hard to get to, but that does not stop tourists and locals from going in to enjoy the splurge! If you’re in Beijing, get over there so you can say that you went to the biggest mall in the world!
Dubai Mall
The Dubai Mall is number one on the list not because it is the biggest mall in the world. But because it was the most expensive to build. This place is more like a mid-sized city, with 22 theatres, a SEGA-themed indoor theme park, the Dubai Aquarium, and Discovery Centre, and the mall is a Guinness World Record holder for the world’s largest acrylic panel. All for a simple price tag of 20-billion dollars! So, there you have it, dreaming of competing with E-commerce and opening your own successful mall? Then take an example from these guys and good luck with the funding!