Bengaluru: Forget the days when malls were simply places to buy clothes, catch a movie, and head home. Across the city, malls are undergoing a dramatic makeover, transforming into vibrant social hubs where visitors can attend coffee raves, train for HYROX fitness competitions, explore immersive art exhibitions, shop at sneaker festivals, learn beauty hacks from influencers, and even enjoy pet-friendly events.“Consumers today are looking for destinations that combine retail, dining, entertainment, wellness, culture, and social interaction within a single visit. Shopping continues to be important, but the expectation has shifted towards spending meaningful time, discovering new experiences and creating memorable moments,” said Ritu Mehta, director – marketing (south) & centre director, Mall of Asia.Rise of ‘experience economy’There are around 30 major shopping malls across the city. With no beach or riverfront in Bengaluru, malls are the most-preferred day chilling zones for youngsters.Jermina Menon, brand & marketing strategist at Bhartiya Urban, said consumers today are seeking immersive experiences that simply cannot be recreated on a screen. “We’ve also seen growing interest in wellness-focused activities, cultural programming, pet-friendly experiences, local artisan markets, children’s engagement zones, and community-driven events. Consumers are looking for destinations that offer convenience along with a sense of belonging. They want a place where multiple generations can come together and find something relevant to their interests,” she said.“Immersive exhibitions, AR and VR attractions, live performances, stand-up comedy, concerts and themed events are drawing strong crowds because people want to feel like they’re part of an experience rather than simply watching it,” said Nishank Joshi, chief marketing officer, Nexus Malls.He pointed out that even local fusion bands in Bengaluru can “fill up our event spaces without the need for a big celebrity performer”.Every festival is mall seasonRather than relying on weekend footfall, malls are now increasingly building year-round event calendars around cultural moments and shopping seasons. “Consumers enthusiastically participate in both local and international events, whether it is Diwali, Christmas, Halloween, Black Friday or major technology launches. We therefore structure our event strategy around these larger cultural and commercial cycles rather than around individual days of the week,” Joshi said.The Future Mall“Looking ahead, we see the next phase of Bengaluru’s malls being defined by immersive technology, wellness-driven experiences, and deeper cultural integration. The outlook is for malls to evolve into mini town squares or community-centric lifestyle destinations where shopping is seamlessly integrated with entertainment, culture, and social connections,” said Sunil Munshi, COO – retail, Brigade Group.The explosive growth of e-commerce has forced mall operators to rethink what physical retail should offer. “Online platforms have made shopping more convenient, which means physical spaces need to offer something that digital channels cannot provide: human connection, engagement and shared experiences,” Menon said.Still, one retail category is clearly losing ground. “Hypermarkets have been shrinking, and we have reduced their footprint in our malls. Ten-minute delivery services have fundamentally changed grocery shopping, and that shift is unlikely to reverse. However, every other category continues to perform well,” Joshi said.
