Mall of America (Minnesota, US), the second biggest mall in the US, has announced an initiative to support local businesses hit with pandemic and recent riots in Minneapolis and St Paul, by opening starting on 1st of October a dedicated space called Community Commons. 17 businesses will be allowed to operate in this 500sqm space until Spring 21 rent-free, in a gesture to help local business but also lure customers in the mall as the traffic has been seriously decreasing post pandemic. It is from our point of view at IADS another example of the stores’ own reappropriation of their local urban role in city life, as illustrated in Paris by a similar approach at Monoprix.

MOA, with a gross area of 452.000 sqm, boasted pre-pandemic 40m visitors and employed 11.000 staff. After a closure of 12 weeks in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it had to delay even further its reopening initially scheduled 1st June due to the civil unrest in both Minneapolis & St Paul.

MOA Opens Space for Retailers Hit Hard by Tumultuous Year

Mall Of America Extends A Hand Of Unity To Challenged Local Retailers