The two terms mall and shopping center are interchangeable as many people use them to refer to the same thing. In general, both mall and shopping center refer to a large space which allows a person access to more than one shop. However, there is a slight difference between a mall and a shopping center. Shopping centers are large enclosed spaces containing many stores that sell merchandise to the public. However, a mall does not necessarily have to be an enclosed space; it can be a shopping mall, strip mall or a pedestrian street. Thus, a shopping center is only a type of mall. This is the key difference between mall and shopping center.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Mall
3. What is a Shopping Center
4. Similarities Between Mall and Shopping Center
5. Side by Side Comparison – Mall vs Shopping Center in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is a Mall?
A mall is a place that allows people access to more than one shop. Mall can be a shopping center/shopping mall, strip mall, or even a pedestrian street. Thus, a mall can have a variety of shops surrounding an open-air concourse reserved for pedestrian traffic or it can be a large suburban building or group of buildings containing various shops. A strip mall or a mini-mall is typically an open-air mall where the shops are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front.
Figure 01: Strip Mall
Malls can sell various merchandise including clothes, jewelry, electronics, toys, household items and food. The prices of merchandise may also vary by store. For example, a store selling branded items may have more expensive items than a store that sells general merchandise.
Some Famous Malls
- Mall of America (USA)
- Tokyo Midtown Galleria (Japan)
- Berjaya Times Square (Malaysia)
- Champs-Élysées (France)
- Istinye Park (Turkey)
- Mall of the Emirates (United Arab Emirates)
- West Edmonton Mall (Canada)
- Dubai Mall (United Arab Emirates)
- Golden Resources (China)
What is a Shopping Center?
A shopping center is basically a building or a group of buildings that houses a variety of stores selling merchandise to the public. It is a type of a mall and sells a variety of merchandise. Shopping centers may also house food courts, play areas and movie theaters to attract more crowds. Shopping centers are often found in urban areas.
Figure 01: City Mall
The International Council of Shopping Centers has classified shopping centers in the US to eight divisions. These include
- Neighborhood center
- Community center
- Regional center
- Superregional center
- Fashion/specialty center
- Power center
- Theme/festival center
- Outlet center
These classifications are mainly based on the size of the centers, the type of merchandise they sell.
What are the Similarities Between Mall and Shopping Center?
- Both malls and shopping centers have a variety of stores selling various merchandise.
- There may be other areas such as food courts, play areas, movie theaters, etc. in both these places.
What is the Difference Between Mall and Shopping Center?
Mall vs Shopping Center |
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| A mall can be a shopping mall, strip mall or a pedestrian street. | Shopping Center or shopping center is a building or a group of buildings that houses a variety of stores. |
| Type of Space | |
| A mall can be an open space. | A shopping Center is typically an enclosed space. |
Summary – Mall vs Shopping Center
The two terms mall and shopping center are often used interchangeably though there is a slight difference between mall and shopping center. A shopping center is a building or a group of buildings that contains a variety of stores. A mall can be a shopping center, strip mall or even a pedestrian street.
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Image Courtesy:
1.’Rainy Strip Mall’ by Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr
2.’Inside view of City Mall’ By Citymalljo – Own work, (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia