GREATER SPRINGFIELD – A couple of decades ago, malls were known for being ideal hangout spots and the home of major department stores.

Consumers lined up to buy items such as jewelry, shoes and fragrances. Now, according to a study by Big Commerce, “51% of Americans prefer to shop online and 96% of Americans have made an online purchase in their life.” A quick online search of malls brings up the term “dead malls.” There are YouTube channels dedicated to the concept of the “dying mall” and a Wikipedia page dedicated to the term. The videos feature bloggers walking through malls filled with empty storefronts and little foot traffic.

While the term “shopping mall” may not fit the same definition that it did 30 years ago for local malls, the Holyoke, Eastfield and Enfield Square malls are making changes to stay relevant in the modern market. Reminder Publishing looked at local malls to see how they are keeping up with changing times. Based on their responses, it would seem that there is a modern day shopping mall renaissance in the works.

The Holyoke Mall is actively continuing to fill storefronts with new shops and entertainment experiences. Lisa Wray, Director of Marketing for the Holyoke Mall, explained, “It’s not just about running to the mall to pick up a few things, but also to share experiences such as a relaxing dinner, enjoying entertainment, working out at the gym or for the convenience of a service.”

Following suit, Eastfield Mall, developed by Mountain Development Corporation, has incorporated new storefronts that cater less to traditional shopping and more to lifestyle needs and experiences for shoppers. Chuck Breidenbach, managing director for Mountain Development Corporation, explained, “To make your own property new and interesting, you have to focus on local services that can join the mall community.”

Long Island company Namdar Realty Group purchased Enfield Square in 2018 following an auction through Ten-X. The mall was sold for $11 million. Namdar Realty Group currently owns over 228 properties in the United States. Over the last three years, Macy’s Department Store, Sears and Charlotte Russe have closed, leaving numerous vacancies on the property. Target, the last remaining anchor store in the mall, has an eight-year lease with Enfield Square. Macy’s Department Store still currently owns their storefront on the property.

No public announcements have been made regarding plans for the future of Enfield Square. Martin Pelosi, General Manager of Enfield Square Mall and representatives of Namdar Realty Group could not be reached for comment.

A.C. Moore, Babies R Us and Sears have recently closed in the Holyoke Mall, but that hasn’t stopped Pyramid Management Group, the developer for the mall, from filling storefronts with new businesses. The Xfinity store opened in Sept. 2018, which consolidated the Amherst and Westfield locations into a central location.

Wray said that Pyramid Management Group has always focused on experimenting with new ideas since the mall’s inception. “Pyramid has been at the forefront of the ever-changing world of retail for years. They were the first developer to incorporate big box tenants into the traditional shopping mall mix.” Wray said. Holyoke Mall opened the first in-mall Toys R Us and Kids R Us in the 1990s, during a time where the retailers only had freestanding locations. Holyoke Mall is also the home of the first in-mall Christmas Tree Shops, which opened in 1996.

Wray added, “When lifestyle centers started to grow in popularity, Pyramid incorporated similar tenants and their design into the shopping center, as can be seen with Pottery Barn and LOFT.”

Breidenbach said he sees the Eastfield Mall location experimenting with a new concept and plans to redevelop it.

“We’re seeking to do a major redevelopment there. We think the area is right for it. It’s finding the right partner that shares the same vision.” Breidenbach said.

Pyramid Management Group is also seeking to give Holyoke Mall an entertainment feel similar to their other locations. Wray said, “Now retail is becoming more experiential and the addition of entertainment and restaurants are the growing trend among developers, while back in the 90s Pyramid had already started the ‘Theatery’ concept of entertainment and eateries in one location at their Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York. They have continued this successful trend adding more entertainment at many other Pyramid centers.”

To keep with the entertainment trend, Pyramid will welcome new experiences at the Holyoke Mall such as Flight Fit N Fun and Round1 Bowling and Amusement in the late winter.

According to a press release by the Holyoke Mall, “Flight Fit N Fun is family entertainment that provides action-oriented entertainment for children and adults alike.” Flight Fit N Fun will be an indoor adventure park with virtual reality games, ninja warrior courses, trampolines, dodge ball, climbing and a laser maze. The location will occupy a large portion of empty space near the mall’s lower level Macy’s department store entrance and will provide between 45-60 residents with employment.

Round1 Bowling and Amusement park will offer entertainment such as bowling, arcades, billiards, karaoke, ping-pong and refreshments. The business will occupy the recently vacated original location of Forever 21 and will provide between 50 and 70 residents with employment.

Holyoke Mall was also the first location to have a Living by Candlelight by Yankee Candle experimental store. According to Wray, “Living by Candlelight by Yankee Candle is an experimental store where candle lovers can customize their own candle fragrance, purchase traditional Yankee Candle fragrances or choose from a carefully curated collection of candle brands such as Kate Spade and Paddywax.”

It may seem that the mall has a reputation of being a dying concept in the age of Amazon and other online retailers, but according to Breidenbach, this isn’t necessarily the case.

Breidenbach shared, “I don’t think it’s the online function. If you look closely at Amazon’s financial reports, very little is in the retail market. It’s not enough to make damage. Amazon puts a lot of retailers on alert, but retailers have to compete at lower profit margins.”

Holyoke Mall is adding shops that are unique to the area. In 2018, Holyoke Mall welcomed Box Lunch, a pop culture themed store that sells apparel, accessories, home goods and novelty items. For every $10 spent, Box Lunch helps to provide a meal in partnership with Feeding America. The initiative supported Western Mass Food Bank. In March, Trollbeads will open in Holyoke Mall, offering handcrafted pieces using sterling silver, 18-karat gold, semi-precious stones and Italian glass.

Eastfield Mall has also opened shops with new concepts. Although Eastfield Mall recently saw the closures of FYE, Hot Topic and Subway, the mall has quickly welcomed new businesses including School of Fish pet store, WTFit! Fitness and The Markets at Eastfield, a weekend flea market for local vendors. On Feb. 1, Shades of Autumn, a small business focused on products from local artists and artisans, opened for business in the mall.

According to Wray, part of keeping shoppers interested in local malls is a periodic remodel of key locations. “Even though online shopping is growing, traditional retail is not going away. This past summer, Holyoke Mall had over 22,000 square feet of traditional retail remodels and relocations.” Wray said.

In summer 2018, Forever 21 relocated to a newly remodeled storefront. LIDS, T-Mobile, McDonalds and Living by Candlelight by Yankee Candle all saw remodels as well.

Breidenbach said he sees the Eastfield Mall location as housing restaurants, apartments, condominiums and more. “We don’t see it having a future as a mall, but we do see it having a future as a collection of uses that accommodates a number of uses around the community such as medical, fitness and family housing. We think all of that and more is warranted on that site. We think it has a future to accommodate all those different uses.” Breidenbach said.

Breidenbach said he sees the Eastfield Mall opting for a less traditional route in the coming months. “We’re still very much sold on the community in the area and the opportunity that lies there. That’s where we see the opportunity out there. We’d like to make it a more experiential place to go rather than a regular old shopping mall.” Breidenbach said.

When it comes to shopping in the mall, it seems that it’s certainly not dead for local retailers, just getting a modern-day makeover.