2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 9 — Park West Village
(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.)
A modern-day indication of the importance of certain retail centers is scoring the first and only Dutch Bros Coffee location in their state.
Park West Village was the recent honoree in North Carolina, and long lines of quaffers of espresso-laden Caramelizers and Annihilators stretched out for weeks.
“The fact that we landed the first Dutch Bros shows how Park West Village is a target for highly desirable brands,” said Rich Roy, VP of retail services at Casto, the owner of the center.
The 627,000-sq.-ft. open-air community center that sits halfway between Raleigh and Durham off Route 54 presents sought-after brands that include Shake Shack, Nordstrom Rack and Trader Joe’s. But its tenant roster is also jammed with uses that resonate with the residents of 600-plus apartments at Park West Village, as well as other high-income dwellers of North Carolina’s Research Triangle.
Uses at the center tick off highly targeted boxes that include the Perspire Sauna Studio, Blake Interiors, Visionworks, Fifth Third Bank and Liberty Mutual Insurance.
[READ MORE: 2026 Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: No. 10 — Rosedale Center]
Park West events are big draws. Its “Live in the District” concert series – which features live music, food trucks and local breweries – brings visitors to the center on weekday evenings in the summer. The “Fall Festival” held annually before Halloween offers hayrides, costume contests, and center-wide trick-or-treating.
“What distinguishes Park West Village is its ability to continuously reinvent itself while remaining deeply connected to the needs of the community,” Roy noted. “The center’s unique strength lies in its ability to blend everyday convenience with destination-worthy experiences.”
