2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 1 — Easton Town Center
(Chain Store Age ranks the most innovative shopping center experiences each year. We will be counting down the top 10 until No. 1 is revealed.)
This is the fourth time that Easton Town Center has headed Chain Store Age’s "Top 10 Retail Center Experiences” list since it debuted in 2018, and the first sentence on the center’s 2026 nomination form deftly summed up why...
Easton stands alone because of its willingness to continuously reinvent itself.
- In 2022, Steiner + Associates — co-developer and property manager — created a luxury district inhabited by brands that include Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Golden Goose, Coach and Peter Millar. It’s a lineup one is more likely to find on Fifth Avenue in New York, Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles or Chicago’s Miracle Mile — not off Interstate 270 in Columbus.
- Instead of seeking another single user for Easton’s Smith & Wollensky footprint, Steiner transformed the space into multiple storefronts, introducing Bar Italia, Suitsupply and Patek Philippe.
- When consumer habits shifted away from experimental retail concepts like Amazon Style, Steiner quickly reclaimed the footprint and reconfigured the space into three new store-front opportunities — Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn Kids and Miniso.
- Five years ago, Easton added a 16-acre project phase providing 140,000 square feet of new restaurant, retail and hotel space. This latest addition to the town center was designed to support art exhibitions, farmers markets and live music on its Yard Stage.
New builds and store buildouts happen quickly at Easton because Steiner fields its own seven-employee construction unit.
“We spend a long time thinking about merchandise. We’re regularly evaluating our adjacencies. We’re always thinking about how we can support a retailer’s growth and create more value for them over time,” said Easton’s senior VP of leasing Spencer Jordan.
Food and beverage tenants occupy roughly 20% of Easton’s inline gross leasable area outside the anchors. The culinary mix runs from local brands such as Napa kitchen + bar, Northstar Café and Brassica on the local end to popular national brands the likes of Cooper’s Hawk and The Cheesecake Factory.
The center’s upscale dining tier runs from Cameron Mitchell’s two-story Del Mar restaurant to Bar Italia and Mastro’s Steakhouse.
“Something that is unique to us is that our focus is not on moving our merchandise mix. We are just under two million square feet,” Jordan noted. “On food and beverage, specifically, we’re not focused on more food, but more cuisines. We are very intentional about not overloading ourselves.”
Brands that open at Easton often continue to expand and reinvest in their spaces over time. Louis Vuitton, Abercrombie, Diamond Cellar and Lululemon each expanded their footprints after establishing operations at the center, while Del Mar and Cooper’s Hawk refreshed and modernized their restaurant spaces.
Easton events are plentiful and well thought-out. On Thursday evenings from May to September, “Groove is at The Yard” presents live music ranging from funk to acoustic to rock. “Friday Night Flicks” offers movies outdoor on the Town Square. “Yoga on the Square” draws a recurring morning crowd and “Chalk the Block” activates the center with public art created in real time.
And the land’s No. 1 retail experience continues to run in the lead pack of centers with meaningful retail center metrics. It draws more than 18 million visitors a year.
“Dwell time has always been our strength,” Jordan observed. “Our merchandising strategy reflects that.”
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 2 — Crocker Park
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 3 — Tuscan Village
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 4 — American Dream
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 5 — Mall of America
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 6 — Blue Star Shopping Center
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 7 — Eastwood Mall
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 8 — Market Street - The Woodlands
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 9 — Park West Village
2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 10 — Rosedale Center
