It’s no secret that consumer shopping habits are changing. The retail models of years past are fading as technology overtakes brick-and-mortar as the most convenient approach to shopping.

The physical retailers of years past are being forced to reinvent themselves. Malls, once a staple of American life, are facing challenges as shoppers expectations and behaviors change.

But this isn’t the end of all malls: a study by Credit Suisse predicted that while mall closures are inevitable, the best of the best will survive--those with high-quality offerings, in larger markets, are likely to make it.

That’s exactly what Brookfield Properties, the developers of the new SoNo Collection mall in Norwalk, Connecticut, are banking on.

“Our CEO says, ‘The bazaar was here in 600 B.C., it will be here in 6,000 A.D.,' " said Matt Seebeck, the center’s senior general manager, on a tour with the Hartford Courant.

What makes SoNo special is a focus on providing what their customers want--not sticking to the model of malls past. Gone are the stores clearly unfit for their market, the smelly food court, the tired carpeting and decor.

Brookfield Properties tailors their malls towards the habits of their local markets--in SoNo’s case, a preference for luxury brands, housewares over apparel, and sit-down restaurants over takeout means a small-scale, high-class mall with Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s as anchors and several co-working spaces like WeWork throughout the building.

Seebeck said they were particularly focused on providing “gathering spaces” for shoppers, building beautiful spaces with murals, trees, and light installations that can be anything from an out-of-office workspace to a gala hall.

It’s a bold move to construct a mall in the midst of the “retail apocalypse.” The developers at SoNo Collections, though, are building a mall that’s fresh, innovative, and responsive to the demands of the modern consumer.

We’ll be following their journey as they increasing bring new stores and new retail models to Norwalk, CT.

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