Types of Shopping Centers

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Knowing the types of shopping centers and the likely visitor experiences are helpful when deciding on the best shopping stop for your group. The following characteristics and definitions of 9 types of shopping centers from the International Association of Shopping Centers (ICSC) are useful guidelines when planning group shopping stops. Planners may anticipate a stay lasting 3+ hours at centers listed on TRIPinfo.

Note: TRIPinfo omits the Strip/Convenience category of shopping centers since these are not usually planned stops for group tours. Also, some centers may not precisely fit into one specific classification.

General-Purpose Centers
Type	Concept	Typical GLA Range (Sq. Ft.)	Typical # of Tenants	Typical Type of Anchors
Neighborhood Center	Convenience	30,000 - 125,000	5 - 20	Supermarket
Community Center	General merchandise; convenience	125,000 - 400,000	15 - 40	Discount department store; supermarket; drug; home improvement; large specialty-discount; apparel
Regional Center	General merchandise; fashion	400,000 - 800,000	40 - 80	Full-line department store; junior department store; mass merchant; discount department store; fashion apparel
Super-Regional Center	Similar to regional center but has more variety and assortment	800,000+	N/A	Full-line department store; junior department store; mass merchant; fashion apparel

Neighborhood Center: This center is designed to provide convenience shopping for the day-to-day needs of consumers in the immediate neighborhood. A neighborhood center is typically a straight-line strip with no enclosed walkway or mall area.	Regional Center: This center sells a full variety of general merchandise, mostly apparel, in typically enclosed malls with inward facing stores that share a common walkway. Its main attractions are its anchors.
Community Center: A community center offers a wider variety of apparel and other goods than a neighborhood center. Configuration is a straight line, L- or U-shaped.	Super-Regional Center: This center is similar to the regional center, but it is larger with more anchors and carries a deeper selection of merchandise. Super-regional centers draw from a larger population base. Typical configuration is enclosed with multilevels.

Specialized-Purpose Centers
Type	Concept	Typical GLA Range (Sq. Ft.)	# of Anchors	Typical Type of Anchors
Lifestyle	Upscale stores with dining & entertainment	150,000 - 500,000	0 - 2	Large format upscale specialty
Power Center	Category-dominant anchors	250,000 - 600,000	3 or more	Category killers; home improvement; discount department store; warehouse club; off-price
Theme/Festival Center	Leisure, tourist, retail and service-oriented offerings	80,000 - 250,000	N/A	Restaurants, entertainment
Outlet Center	Manufacturers' and retailers' outlet stores selling brand-name goods at a discount	50,000 - 400,000	N/A	Manufacturers' and retailers' outlets

Fashion/Specialty Center: This center is composed of upscale national-chain specialty stores with dining & entertainment in an outdoor setting. They may not be anchored, but restaurants or entertainment provide the draw of anchors. A sophisticated design emphasizes the rich decor and landscaping.	Theme/Festival Center: The centers appeal to tourists; restaurants and entertainment facilities may anchor. Anticipate seeing them in urban areas adapted from older, possibly historic, buildings and part of mixed-use projects.
Power Center: Several large anchors, including discount department stores, off-price stores, warehouse clubs or "category killers" (stores that offer huge selection in particular merchandise categories at low prices) dominate. The center consists of several freestanding anchors and only a few, small specialty tenants.	Outlet Center: Outlet centers consist of manufacturers' and retailers' outlet stores selling their brands at a discount. They are found in rural or tourist locations. Outlet center designs include enclosed malls, a "village" cluster or a strip configuration.

Limited-Purpose Centers
Type	Concept	Typical GLA Range (Sq. Ft.)	# of Anchors	Typical Type of Anchors
Airport Retail	Consolidation of retail stores located within a commercial airport	75,000 - 300,000	N/A	Specialty retail and restaurants with no anchors

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