King of Prussia Is So Much More Than Your Average Mall

Life & Style King of Prussia Is So Much More Than Your Average Mall While other malls have perished or are struggling to survive, King of Prussia is thriving. Here's why. November 13, 2026 | By Michael Bradley Share Facebook X Linkedin Print Copy URL Prefer us on Google It’s almost impossible to explain to younger generations how important the shopping mall was back in the mid-1980s, when 25,000 of them dotted the American landscape and served as regional centerpieces. With no online retail, it was the peak of commercial convenience. Dozens of stores under one roof? Amazing. You had the big-box chains, the specialty clothing shops, the music stores, Spencer’s Gifts and other quirky alternatives—and, of course, the mighty food court. You could get your ears pierced, grab a few CDs, take a walk, grab a slice, or (like a lot of us back then) just hang out. For many kids in 1980s, it was the ideal parent-approved place to go with your friends. These days, malls have almost vanished—or at least changed considerably. There are little more than 1,000 of them throughout the country, and their vacancy rates are higher than those of any other commercial category. Since 2016, more than 14,500 malls have closed. Exton Square Mall is one of the more recent casualties. Springfield is fading, the rehabbed town-center version of Granite Run is almost unrecognizable, and Plymouth Meeting will soon join the list as a reimagined athletic center. Then there’s King of Prussia. - Advertisement - While the rest of the mall landscape withers, KOP keeps rolling along, with more than 450 stores and over 30 dining options spread across almost three million square feet. More than 20 new spots are set to open in 2027. Immersive attractions like Netflix House, the Sloomoo interactive slime experience and Level 99 give KOP the feel of an amusement park. “I think it’s important to provide different experiential opportunities for families,” says Jill Daniel, the mall’s director of marketing. “It gives them an opportunity to stay here longer. Maybe they have dinner. It adds value to King of Prussia and makes [the mall] more of a regional draw. And since Netflix House opened, we’re definitely pulling shoppers from farther away.” The numbers say it all. According to reports from Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, KOP attracts 25 million visitors a year—five million this past November and December alone. Its 2025 sales topped a record-setting $1 billion. As of 2018, it was valued at $2.8 billion, and it’s currently the fourth-largest mall in the country. Even so, today’s mall climate presents an interesting juxtaposition: Unsuccessful properties are closing, while those that have pivoted to satisfy consumers’ desire for more than retail are seeing increased traffic. According to Placer.ai, a national company that tracks foot traffic at businesses, indoor mall visits were up more than 4% nationally in July 2026 compared with the same period last year. “Malls need traffic, and mall owners have to figure out what people want in order to bring that traffic,” says Dan Spiegel, who leads global operations at Coldwell Banker Commercial. The malls that survive and even thrive have found ways to overcome the demise of anchor department stores by innovating. At KOP, there’s Eataly, the restaurant, market and event space where patrons can have a meal, take a pasta-making class or shop for groceries. Spiegel calls it “food fun.” - Partner Content - Fall Traveler’s Guide Why Motorized Shades Are No Longer a Luxury – They’re a Smart Home Essential R.J. Hottovy, Placer.ai’s head of analytical research, considers it an example of why some malls flourish and others don’t. “In most markets, there are between one and five really well-run and innovative malls,” he says. “They are A-plus properties that continue to thrive. At the same time, other malls have struggled to keep up.” King of Prussia Mall opened in 1963 as an open-air collection of stores developed by Morris Kravitz’s Kravco Company and anchored by JCPenney. Gimbels arrived in 1965, bringing with it an enclosed section known as the Plaza. Sixteen years later, the Court opened, swelling the number of stores to more than 250 across 2.4 million square feet. Simon Property Group, the largest mall operator in the U.S., acquired the two properties in 2003. In 2016, the Plaza and Court were joined to create the mall we know today. Not long after, Simon began reinventing KOP’s identity, shifting it from a place centered almost entirely on stores and restaurants to a destination. That fits the Simon mall profile, which emphasizes customer engagement, technology to help build brand loyalty and destination retail that drives traffic. “We want to combine entertainment with a shopping experience,” Daniel says. When DICK’S House of Sport opens next year, you’ll be able to buy sneakers, play a few holes on a golf simulator and take some swings in the batting cages. Right now, it you want to help the “Stranger Things” kids fight Vecna or use VR to play “Squid Game,” just head to the 100,000-square-foot Netflix House. There are spots for kids like the craft-heavy CAMP Philadelphia. And in 2027, grownups will be able to tackle “challenges” at Level 99, then stick around for pizza, bar food and drinks. At KOP, the tenant mix keeps changing, and price points vary widely enough that the mall isn’t exclusively a luxury destination. “Simon Property Group is masterful in how they invest in the mall,” says Eric Goldstein, founding president and CEO of the King of Prussia District. “They’re constantly rotating and restructuring the experiences people have in the mall. They’ve created destination retail.” - Advertisement - KOP also benefits from real estate’s top advantage: location. The Schuylkill Expressway, Pennsylvania Turnpike and Routes 422 and 202 all converge in King of Prussia, making the mall easily accessible from throughout the region. It has also built relationships with the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Philadelphia, who shuttle guests by private car to King of Prussia to shop, dine (with a complimentary meal included) and spend three hours with a personal stylist. “We’re trying to promote high levels of service that make their guest experiences more memorable,” Daniel says. Regardless, many predict a bleak future for malls, at least on a macro level. But those capable of keeping pace with consumers’ evolving preferences may have a different fate. King of Prussia has shown itself capable of doing just that. “To some degree, we’re over-retailed and over-malled,” Spiegel says. “There’s a future for malls, as long as owners match the moment.” Related: Cunningham Piano Company Opens an Innovative New Space