Mall Traffic Remains Robust Even as Anchor Tenants Change

The retail sector is healthy and growing with shopping center and mall occupancy rates near full capacity, said Mike Kercheval, CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Kercheval added that the industry's RECon conference starts next week in Las Vegas and will bring together more than 34,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors to examine the industry and emerging trends. One trend is that the mall is not just a place to shop, but an entertainment destination for quality time with friends and family. Furthermore, he said stores such as J. Crew are now able to anchor malls, replacing the larger department stores. Finally, Kercheval said a number of online retailers like Warby Parker and Bonobos are also expanding into physical brick-and-mortar stores.