Christiana Mall: Evolving To Meet Customer Needs

BY STEVE CHAMBLISS

Step inside Christiana Mall on a Saturday afternoon and you’ll find a shopping center that’s bustling with shoppers from around the region. It’s a hub. It’s a place for families to spend time together, a meeting spot for friends, a community gathering place and a one-stop-shop for all needs. Christiana Mall continues to thrive and serve as an economic powerhouse for the state of Delaware.

As the senior general manager, I can proudly say that our traffic quickly rebounded from the 2020 pandemic impact. When speaking with our retailers, it’s incredible to hear that their sales are meeting, if not exceeding pre-pandemic sales volumes. Demand for in-person experiences was pent up during the height of the pandemic and it’s clear that our shoppers are making up for lost time. Located just outside of Wilmington, the 1.3 million square-foot mall is home to over 130 stores and restaurants, and welcomes over 11 million visitors annually. An economic driver on several fronts, over 2,000 year-round associates and nearly 3,400 part-time associates rely on Christiana Mall for their employment. We certainly benefit from the tax-free shopping and welcome out-of-state shoppers from Philadelphia, Baltimore and beyond, fueling tourism from across the Northeast.

One of the only constants in the retail industry is change. Our management company, Brookfield Properties, continues to invest in the property to evolve to meet the wants and needs of our communities and tenants. For example, when Christiana Mall shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions last year, we implemented a curbside pick-up program that allowed our tenants and their shoppers to reconnect and make their purchases. Now that Christiana Mall is back to normal operations, this program has grown and is an additional, convenient method for those on the go.

We have also seen an increased demand for brands that were once only available online to have an in-person, “real” retail presence—what we call r-commerce. Several of these brands, including Casper, Fabletics, Peloton, and Purple Mattress have opened stores within Christiana Mall.

Looking to the future, we are welcoming 12 new tenants between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, including two restaurants. Ahead of the 2021 holiday season, the food court will be renovated to reflect a food hall-style dining option with upgraded amenities and furniture.

We are proud to serve our tenants, our shoppers and our community. We are committed to meeting their ever-changing needs and look forward to evolving with them into the future of retail and beyond.

Steve Chambliss is the senior general manager of Christiana Mall, managed by Brookfield Properties.