Shopping is a form of therapy for other people who have a lot of money to burn. For some, people shop because they need to shop. Others just want to constantly be updated with the current fashion trends.

The world of shopping has been changing ever since technology and the internet is more reliable. More and more people are shopping online, decreasing the foot traffic in malls. Because of this, many retail stores have already closed down or have filed for bankruptcy. But this mall we are about to explore is not just an average kind of mall.

The Bal Harbour Shops

Bal Harbour Shops has been named as one of the most luxurious shopping mall in America. It is located in a suburb, Bal Harbour, of Miami Beach, Florida. Aside from its luxurious title, it has also received the coveted first rank of the most productive mall based on the sales per square meter since 2012 in America. Just recently the mall was able to also get the first rank all over the world.

History of the Bal Harbour Shops

The Bal Harbour Shops is a family-owned shopping center by the Whitman Family. It is one of the few family-owned malls left in the United States. The luxurious mall opened its doors to the public on the year 1965. Since then, its sales has constantly increased as the years went by, outdoing it’s previous year’s annual sales. Well, apart from two exceptions. The 9/11 attacks in New York and the Great Recession of 2008 had affected the sales of the mall where there was no increase at all. Aside from those two incidents, the Bal Harbour’s sales has been exceptional.

The Mega Structure

The Bal Harbour Shops is no ordinary shopping center. It is an outdoor mall that is a combination of nature and materialism. If an ordinary mall has a practical architecture, the Bal Harbour is beyond expensive, with fish ponds full of Koi.

Brands like Chanel, Gucci, and Balenciaga are all setting their own sanctuary in this 463,477-square-foot mall. According to the management, Chanel is the store that’s bringing most of the cash in. Their store is also one of the biggest where they have a VIP lounge dedicated for those people who are willing to spend more than what mainstream Chanel would cost them.

Beside the clothing line, The Bal Harbour Shops doesn’t fall short with the expensive jewelry line. The household names in the world of jewelry like Bvlgari and Chopard are taking up residence in this mall where it would take many years before they give up their space.

What is a shopping center without food, right? Of course shoppers need to refuel after spending so much money. The Bal Harbour has five-star restaurants like Makoto and Carpaccio. Despite the high price range, expect to dine in at a full house restaurant.

What makes it different?

The ordinary shopping centers have parking spots for their customers. In Bal Harbour, shoppers don’t park. There is a mandatory $30-dollar valet to make the lives of their customers more convenient. Or maybe it’s a way for them to make more money. Well, if shoppers own Lamborghinis and Maybachs, they surely won’t mind the $30-dollar valet. Miami is a pretty sunny place but when it rains, expect a top-notch service from the crew. Workers will immediately go out of their way to cover these rich shoppers with umbrellas and escort them to dry land. There is no price for it though unlike the valet, but a little tip surely won’t hurt anyone.

The Expansion

If retail stores are closing, the Bal Harbour keeps on expanding. They were able to truck a deal with the local government, buying and relocating the church that is adjacent to them.  Late of 2017, they started the 340,387-square-foot expansion which will cost them a whopping $400 million. The expansion will house a new flagship store, Barneys New York. This will be the first Barneys to ever rise in the south eastern part of the country.

The Bal Harbours is like the crocodile of the lake. No matter how many predators come in, they remain unfazed.