Memorial City is a vibrant 300-acre community in Houston that has been a key part of the city for over 70 years, managed by MetroNational, located 303 Memorial City Way, Houston, Texas 77024. It has something for everyone: shopping, dining, and entertainment. Unfortunately, the mall has empty storefronts, reduced foot traffic, and an unknown future. It used to be a lively destination for hanging out but now it faces a struggle to maintain its place in the community. The rise of online shopping has had a negative effect on Memorial Mall. As more consumers turn to e-commerce shopping platforms such as Amazon and Shein, trips to the mall have sharply declined. Shoppers don’t even need to leave the comfort of their homes to find the latest fashion trends. Memorial City Mall, which once thrived, now faces the reality that many of its stores are losing customers to the convenience of shopping online.
The demise of shopping centers had long been predicted by experts with the rise of online shopping, but COVID-19 was the final straw. According to the National League of cities, more than 12,000 retail stores will be permanently closed in 2020 Mall retailers were in debt, while many were forced to close permanently. This effect is seen in Memorial City Mall as the brick and mortar stores have been less and less cared for as they’re trying to adapt to e-commerce; Consequently, their money and stock is going in their online stores so their best products are online making it less interesting to shop.
“I like Memorial, but if I want to do really good shopping I go to the Galleria.” said sophomore Aliyaa Agrawal. “It just has much more, and you could go for hours without reaching its end.” What is defined as good shopping for young consumers is the Galleria as it seems to be bigger and better. The Galleria is more of a multi-experience destination beyond just shopping. Memorial City Mall has its own set of perks, but it doesn’t quite match the Galleria’s attractions. Both malls have strong dining options, but the Galleria offers a larger selection of upscale restaurants, including international chains and fine dining. Memorial City Mall has a solid food court and some dining options, but the variety is more limited.
The Galleria often hosts high-profile events and promotions, from fashion shows to pop-up shops and celebrity appearances. While Memorial City Mall does host events too, it doesn’t have the same scale or regularity as the Galleria.
One of the main reasons Memorial City Mall has seen a decline is today’s consumers, especially younger generations, are looking for more than just a place to buy products; they want an immersive experience. Memorial Mall could become much more exciting by transforming some of its underutilized space into interactive environments driven by experience. Things like pop-up shops, live performances, virtual reality gaming centers, or art exhibitions that draw people in for the experience, not just the transaction are factors that could make it a more current place for socializing and shopping.
I would rate this mall a 6 out of 10 because it has stuck with its old habits and needs to move forward with its methods to draw in shoppers because going to the mall is more of an inconvenience and something many people try to avoid because you can get the same products online with none of the trouble of having to leave your home. It has the same stores and rarely brings in any new restaurants so it needs something new that will help it stand out.
