It’s the OG. Seriously. If you’ve ever spent a Saturday wandering through a climate-controlled corridor with a soft pretzel in one hand and a shopping bag in the other, you owe a debt of gratitude to Edina, Minnesota. Southdale Center didn't just happen; it was a revolution. When Victor Gruen designed this place back in 1956, he wasn't just trying to sell sweaters. He wanted to create a European-style town square in the middle of a frozen Midwestern suburb. He actually hated cars, which is ironic considering how much asphalt surrounds the place now. But the shops at southdale mall represent something bigger than just retail—they are a living experiment in how humans gather.
People always talk about the "death of the mall." It’s a tired trope. Walk into Southdale on a Tuesday morning and you’ll see mall walkers hitting their stride. Come back on a Friday night and the Cheesecake Factory is packed. It’s changing, sure. It’s not the 1980s anymore. You won't find a sea of neon or a dozen different record stores, but the evolution is what makes it fascinating. It's moving from a place where you just buy "stuff" to a place where you actually live your life, get a checkup, and maybe take a fitness class.
The mix of shops at southdale mall is shifting in a weirdly brilliant way
For a long time, the mall was anchored by the holy trinity of department stores. You had your JCPenney, your Macy’s, and your Sears. Then the world shifted. Sears is a ghost. JCPenney left. Most people thought that was the end. Instead, Southdale did something gutsy. They brought in Life Time. This isn't just a gym; it’s a massive, high-end "athletic country club" that took over the old JCPenney wing. It changed the entire gravity of the building. Now, instead of people just showing up to browse clothes, you have thousands of people coming in daily for yoga, swimming, and co-working.
This shift has trickled down to the other shops at southdale mall. When you have a built-in audience of health-conscious people with disposable income, the retail mix starts to reflect that. You see brands like Lululemon and Madewell thriving. These aren't the dusty storefronts of a dying mall. These are high-performance spaces.
Think about the sheer variety. You still have the heavy hitters like Macy’s, which anchors the south end. It’s one of the better-performing locations in the region. Then you have the boutique-style experiences. Coach, Michael Kors, and Swarovski provide that "luxury" feel without being as intimidating as the high-fashion wings of some other Twin Cities shopping centers. It’s approachable. That’s always been Southdale’s vibe. It’s Edina, but it’s for everyone.
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Not just clothes and candles
Retail isn't just about fabric anymore. Southdale has leaned heavily into the "experience economy." Look at Dave & Buster’s. It’s huge. It’s loud. It’s exactly what the mall needed to keep people there after the sun goes down. Hennepin County even put a service center there. You can literally renew your driver’s license and then go buy a pair of Levi's. It sounds mundane, but that’s actually the "Gruen Effect" coming full circle—making the mall a functional city center.
The food scene deserves a shoutout too. You’ve got the classics. Auntie Anne’s? Obviously. But then you have P.F. Chang’s and the aforementioned Cheesecake Factory. These aren't just "food court" options; they are destination restaurants that draw crowds even when the stores are closed. It creates this 18-hour cycle of activity that most suburban malls would kill for.
Why Victor Gruen would probably be confused (but impressed)
The original vision for Southdale included apartments, schools, and medical offices. For decades, it was just a shopping box. But lately, the shops at southdale mall are finally being surrounded by the community Gruen imagined. There are luxury apartments literally in the parking lot now. A massive medical center—the Southdale Physicians Building and various Fairview services—is integrated into the ecosystem.
When people live and go to the doctor within 500 feet of the mall entrance, the "shops" stop being a destination and start being a pantry.
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- Kowalski’s Markets: This was a game-changer. Putting a high-end grocery store in the mall complex? Genius. It serves the new apartment residents and the surrounding neighborhood.
- Restoration Hardware (RH): They built this stunning, multi-story gallery that looks like a mansion. It has a rooftop restaurant. It’s less of a store and more of an architectural statement.
- The Library: The Southdale Library is a landmark in its own right, and its proximity to the retail space ensures a constant flow of students and families.
The tenant mix is no longer a random assortment. It’s curated. You have the tech appeal of an Apple Store (one of the busiest in the state) acting as a massive magnet. If your iPhone breaks, you’re going to Southdale. And while you wait for the Genius Bar, you’re going to wander. You’ll grab a coffee. You’ll check out the new arrivals at H&M. That’s the "stickiness" of the modern Southdale experience.
Navigating the misconceptions about Edina retail
A lot of people think Southdale is "second best" to the Mall of America. Honestly? That’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what Southdale is for. The MOA is for tourists and spectacle. Southdale is for locals. It’s for the person who wants to get in, find a high-quality gift, hit the gym, and get out without walking five miles through a theme park.
There’s also this myth that the mall is "empty." It’s not. It’s just "de-densified." The mall has intentionally moved away from having 200 tiny kiosks and toward having 50 major destinations. This makes the corridors feel wider and more modern. The 2010s renovation helped a lot—getting rid of that dark, subterranean feel and letting in actual sunlight.
Surprising facts about the Southdale footprint
- The Birdcage: The original mall had a massive, floor-to-ceiling birdcage in the center court. It’s gone now, but the nostalgia for it remains a huge part of the local identity.
- Goldfish Pond: There used to be a pond. Now there’s high-end seating and charging stations.
- Basement Level: The lower level has seen some of the most interesting shifts, moving from traditional retail to more service-oriented businesses and seasonal pop-ups.
The architecture itself is a study in 1950s optimism. Even if you aren't there for the shops at southdale mall, the building is worth a look. The way the light hits the central atrium during a Minnesota winter is one of the few things that can cure seasonal blues. It’s warm. It’s bright. It’s 70 degrees year-round.
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What the future holds for the Southdale ecosystem
The expansion isn't stopping. Simon Property Group (the owners) are leaning further into the "work-live-play" model. Expect more specialized wellness tenants. We might see more high-end "eatertainment" concepts that combine dining with activities like pickleball or boutique bowling. The retail portion will likely stay focused on "un-shippable" experiences—things you need to touch, feel, or try on.
What most people get wrong is thinking that the shops at southdale mall are competing with Amazon. They aren't. They are competing with your couch. To get you off the couch, they have to offer something the internet can't: a sense of place. Whether it’s the smell of the bakery, the community of the gym, or the immediate gratification of a perfectly tailored suit, Southdale is betting on the human desire to be around other humans.
Actionable steps for your next visit
If you haven't been in a while, don't just go for a specific store. Make a day of it. Here’s how to actually do Southdale right:
- Park by Life Time: Even if you aren't a member, that side of the mall has the most energy and the easiest access to the newer dining options.
- Check the Atrium: There are almost always community events, art displays, or seasonal markets happening in the center court. It’s where the "town square" vibe is strongest.
- Explore the Perimeter: Some of the best "shops" aren't inside the main corridors. The outparcels contain some of the best high-end furniture and specialty food in Edina.
- Combine Errands: Use the Hennepin County Service Center or the various medical clinics to knock out your "to-do" list, then reward yourself with a walk through the galleries.
- Time it Right: If you want a quiet experience, Tuesday mornings are blissful. If you want the "bustle," Saturday afternoon is still the peak mall experience.
Southdale is a survivor. It has outlived most of its contemporaries because it wasn't afraid to stop being just a mall. It became a neighborhood. As long as people in Edina and the surrounding suburbs need a place to gather that isn't buried under six inches of snow, Southdale will be just fine.