Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/704472
H E S H O P P I N G C E N T E R I N D U S T R Y I S N O stranger to change. It has evolved over many decades in response to the shift- ing retail landscape, global growth patterns and other forces. While shopping centers were once a uniquely American phenomenon, they are now found in virtually every corner of the world. New formats have sprung up over time, and developers continue to innovate. Through it all, some of the first shopping centers in the United States have endured, partly because they, too, have changed with the times. Of course, loca- tion has played a big role in their longevity. Some of America's oldest surviving centers have the good fortune to occupy strong locations in markets that have grown over time, typically in fits and starts. Some of these shopping centers predate World War II, but many were built during the post-war boom. In that period, American suburbs were flourishing, and developers, department stores and supermarkets stepped in to fill a void in the emerging markets. With ICSC poised to celebrate its 60th birthday next year, the editors of SCT looked back at the early days of a handful of America's first shopping cen- ters and the ways they have changed over time. ☛ PASSING THE TEST OF TIME adapting to d EC ad ES o F CH anging ta S t ES, a MER i C a 'S o R igina L SH opping CE nt ERS a RE S ti LL going S t R ong By Anna Robaton a u g u S t 2 0 1 6 / S C T 39 C O l l A G E / I l l U S T R A T I O N : S A R A H H A N S O N , U S I N G E l E M E N T S F R O M R I v E R O A k S S H O P P I N G C E N T E R T