A friend of mine from Kaysville often says that shopping malls are dead. “You can shoot a cannon through one and not hit a soul most times of the day,” he says.  “Everyone I know finds it inconvenient to drive to a mall when you can go online and get a better selection and better prices.  

My friend is in his mid-30s. He should be on a first-name basis with the Amazon drivers. If there’s not a box on his porch, his neighbors probably call the local police department for a wellness check. (“No UPS delivery? Gosh, call 911!”) In the past year he might be responsible for killing 15% of the trees in Glacier National Park.

So of course, he doesn’t frequent the mall! But a new report indicates that malls are making a comeback.

Mall traffic is up some 12% over pre-pandemic levels, the study says, and the numbers are even greater for “premier” malls dotted with higher-end stores and clean, attractive environments.  Even more surprising to my friend, the increase in mall sales is coming from Gen Z and younger shoppers.

Granted, online shopping will continue to grow, and many malls have closed over the past 10 years due to internet-based shopping and a perceived threat of crime. But Davis County’s two major shopping centers have weathered the downturn.

Layton Hills Mall doesn’t release financial figures, but city officials have told me the mall still generates a steady increase in sales tax. Meanwhile, Farmington’s Station Park has exploded with a mix of budget and high-end shops, along with diverse restaurant offerings.  

The malls have hurt locally-owned Main Street shops, though many shopping centers are trying to lure local merchants to sign a lease. The most successful centers include stores not easily found in most malls. Station Park’s Apple store and the newly-opened Wild Fin restaurant draw customers not interested in the Gap or H&M associated with a typical mall.

What is the reason for the surge in mall traffic? The study doesn’t offer an answer, but I believe there is a pent-up interest in “getting out of the house.” Even those who enjoy working remotely can get bored with their solitary workspace and buying clothing without trying a garment on for size is tricky for most of us. There will always be curmudgeons who hate standing in checkout lines or dodging through milling crowds at department stores. For them, the FedEx truck is a blessing.

But humans are like dogs; we’re basically social animals. The death of the shopping mall has been greatly exaggerated. Well-kept malls will remain a place for teenagers to flirt, for senior citizens to get winter exercise – and, for many of us, a place to shop and interact with people. 

If you still think malls are ready for the graveyard, visit Station Park or Murray’s Fashion Place Mall.  You’ll be complaining about the difficulty of finding a place to park your car. 

Bryan Gray, a longtime Davis County resident, is a former school teacher and has been a columnist for more than 26 years in newspapers along the Wasatch Front.