Shopping malls are struggling. People are ordering more and more things online, and the foot traffic that walks through malls, impulse buying from places they weren’t really planning to shop at, has decreases significantly. Less shoppers, less purchases, less successful stores. There needs to be reasons to bring people to malls. Malls need to become destinations not just for shopping, but for activities.

I don’t know what the draw could be, but I can give an example of something I’ve thought should be combined for a while now: movie theatres and mini golf. Movie theatres take up a lot of room, and most of them could put an 18 hole mini golf putting range on their roof. Going to the movies? Get a discount on a round of mini golf.

Sit in a theatre for almost 2 hours… then go for a round of mini golf. Hole in one on the 18th hole? Get a half price off on your next movie. Easy added value opportunity for a theatre.

So what’s the added value that can be added to a shopping mall? What ‘experiences’ can be added to get people to actually decide that the buying experience in a mall is better than online? I’m not sure, but I think the shopping mall experience needs an update.