The Joys of Shopping Centers
According to the US Department of Commerce foot traffic data, monthly retail visits were lower in Q1 2023 than in Q1 2022. That is not surprising in the least given the rise in interest rates and general cost of living pressures. Yet recent personal experience of visiting shopping centres in both Canada and the US would appear to indicate that crowds and volume of foot traffic are healthy. The ‘frustration in trying to find a parking spot at the weekend’ index shows no sign of abating!