The mall's role as a cultural holiday hub
At Mall of America, the holidays aren’t just a shopping season, they’re a showcase of what makes physical retail more vital than ever. As the nation’s largest retail and entertainment destination, MOA continues to prove that shared experiences drive both joy and results.
2025 has been a strong year, marked by growth across key categories and a wave of new openings that reinforce the strength and appeal of the MOA brand. Both year-to-date traffic and sales are up from 2024. With continued momentum heading into the holiday season, we anticipate even stronger performance in the months ahead.
From aspirational and lifestyle brands to tech and dining, MOA will have opened nearly 25 new retailers by the end of 2025.
Recently opened stores include Pop Mart, Samsung, Skims, Alo Yoga, NBA Store, New Balance, EVRY Jewels, Love Your Melon, and Läderach.
Building on that success, highly anticipated openings including CardVault, Mavi, Primark, Mango, Miniso, and DUCK, along with incredible food offerings such as Sweetgreen, Giordano’s, Roni’s Mac Bar, OG Zaza, Sweet Crunch, and Mogouyan Noodle.
Each new addition enriches the Mall’s mix of global brands, local favorites, and bold new concepts.
The Mall’s role as a cultural hub is on full display during the holidays. With guests traveling in from across the Midwest and around the world for the full MOA experience, the property has evolved beyond shopping into a celebration of community. It’s a place where people come to find gifts but stay to make memories.
Record Black Friday attendance expected
That sense of connection starts with Black Friday, which officially kicks off the season. Last year, more than 13,000 guests entered the mall within the first hour of opening. Preparations are already underway for another record-setting day.
This year’s festivities include a countdown celebration before the doors open at the north entrance, along with the signature “doorbuster” giveaways featuring characters busting through a magical door to surprise lucky winners with a variety of high value prizes such as full LEGO sets, Labubus, and tickets to professional sporting events.
Tens of thousands of dollars in gifts will be given away throughout the day. Additionally, the first 200 people in line will be rewarded with special surprises including a chance to win $5,000 courtesy of Spot It!
Throughout the holiday season, Mall of America delivers an exceptional guest experience through immersive décor, engaging attractions, and purposeful community partnerships. From meeting Santa at Candy Cane Institute and The Santa Experience, to activations such as Festival of Trees, which allow our MOA Community Foundation to support local organizations and families, the mall blends festive energy with meaningful impact. Our hundreds of events and brand activations also drive traffic throughout the season and reinforce our position as a leader in retail and entertainment.
While MOA remains the nation’s top holiday shopping destination, its broader message resonates far beyond Minnesota. Brick-and-mortar retail succeeds when it delivers emotion, engagement, and experiences. With countless visitors expected this holiday season, Mall of America continues to set the standard for how shopping and entertainment destinations can create lasting connections with one visit, one memory, and one joyful tradition at a time.
