Think for a moment about the last time you made a purchase for something other than groceries.
Perhaps you needed an updated piece of furniture, an new outfit for an event, or a fresh pair of shoes.
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The first place you went to look to purchase one of those items probably wasn’t an indoor shopping mall.
Maybe it would have been a few decades ago, though.
The shopping behavior for the average American has changed drastically over the past few years.
In the 1980s and 1990s, for example, malls were essentially a meeting place for American dollars, social activities, and even exercisers.
Back then, the average American spent 12 hours per month in a shopping mall, and, ostensibly, a large chunk of their discretionary spending went to said mall tenants, too.
People walk through Macy’s store in downtown Brooklyn after the company announced it was closing the store along with over 60 others on January 13, 2025.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Malls are changing
Malls were a winning model for so long because they offered access to a lot of different stores and dining options at one central location. Before the advent of outlet malls, discount stores, or online retailers, going to 10 different stores on a Saturday afternoon was a common activity.
And it was a winning business model, too. Malls were able to charge their tenants outsized rents for access to all that foot traffic, which often converted into sales.
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Now, however, spending 12 hours parsing through a bunch of different stores to find that one perfect item you’re looking for seems less like a fun activity and more like a waste of time. Particularly if you’re paying full sticker price for that couch, dress, or pair of sneakers.
Now, it’s far easier to get what you’re looking for at a HomeGoods, Saks Off Fifth, Ross, or at one of the many online retailers that often offer coupon codes or near-constant sales.
Another department store location shutters
Since Americans have less patience for spending their weekends in malls, and they’re taking their dollars elsewhere, most mall tenants have suffered.
It’s become nearly untenable for many retailers to keep up with large rent sums to attract fewer shoppers.
The numbers bear out; malls accounted for just 5.5% of of total retail gross leasable brick-and-mortar spaces in 2023.
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And far more tenants are choosing to leave malls. Either they’re filing for bankruptcy and closing up locations, or they’re simply moving their locations elsewhere.
One such retailer is Macy’s (M) , which has said it will shutter up to 150 stores by 2026 as a part of its Bold New Chapter strategy to turn around business and return to better profitability.
And now, an iconic Macy’s location in Massapequa, NY is closing after a half a century of history.
According to the New York State Department of Labor filings, the Macy’s at the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa on Long Island will close on April 11.
The location had been in operation since 1973. It was one of the first stores to open with the Sunrise Mall. It leaves behind only Dick’s Sporting Goods at the mall, which is now considered a ghost mall since most of the other tenants have now left.
This latest Macy’s closure will see over 75 employees laid off.
