I visited two malls in Orange County, California on Black Friday and found plenty of foot traffic.
The Irvine Spectrum was filled with groups of teenagers and long lines to get into stores like Urban Outfitters.
Meanwhile, South Coast Plaza’s Zara and Madewell had similar lines while luxury retail stores were nearly empty.
I visited two popular shopping malls in Orange County, California during the morning of Black Friday and was shocked to see both were full of shoppers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It seems like in-person Black Friday shopping and malls aren’t dead as long as teenagers and young adults are ready to spend.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The “retail apocalypse” was nowhere to be seen at the popular Irvine Spectrum Center the morning of Black Friday.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Despite the general downfall of malls, the 1.2 million-square-foot outdoor center has continued to be a go-to spot for after-school hang-outs, family dinners, and leisurely weekend shopping trips.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Source: City of Irvine
And Black Friday was no exception to this generally strong foot traffic.
Brittany Chang/Insider
When I arrived at the palm tree-lined Irvine Spectrum Center shortly before 8:30 a.m., I was greeted by a stream of cars scouring open parking spots.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And despite the relatively early hours, the mall was already bustling with people.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It wasn’t as crowded as a typical Saturday afternoon. But for 8:30 a.m., the foot traffic was impressive.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But there weren’t as many families or couples as I had expected.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Instead, it looked like over half of the consumers were groups of Gen Zers shopping with their friends.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And this young but powerful demographic seemed to dictate the number of customers inside each shop.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Stores like Nordstrom and Anthropologie were quiet with only a handful of shoppers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But the same couldn’t be said for Lululemon.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Inside, the popular athletic apparel store was packed with long checkout lines reminiscent of Black Friday before the rise of online shopping and COVID-19.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Similarly, the lines just to get into Urban Outfitters and Swish Studios — a sneaker and streetwear shop — were almost a dozen people long …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… and consisted mostly of young shoppers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Stores like Garage and Levi’s were also packed with these younger consumers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But at this hour, some Gen Z-beloved brands like Brandy Melville, Tilly’s …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… Pacsun, Vans, and H&M were relatively quiet with only a handful of people filing in and out.
Brittany Chang/Insider
None of these stores had lines out the door yet.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But they all had belt barriers set up in anticipation for larger crowds later in the day.
Brittany Chang/Insider
To my surprise, Old Navy had a robust crowd with a long checkout line, although the age of customers here looked more varied.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But in general, it seemed like fast fashion stores catered towards young consumers were winning big in the early hours of this year’s Black Friday shopping fiasco at the Irvine Spectrum Center.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I had no doubt the outdoor mall would be significantly more packed later in the day, likely with a more varied demographic.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But in the morning, Gen Zers looked like they were dominating the mall.
Brittany Chang/Insider
At South Coast Plaza, the largest luxury mall on the West Coast, the scene was somewhat similar.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Source: South Coast Plaza
The 2.8 million-square-foot mall is filled with over 275 restaurants and stores …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… including high-end retailers like Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes, and Chanel.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But when I arrived a few minutes past 9:30 a.m., only a handful of people, if any, were milling around these luxury stores.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It was quiet at the likes of Celine, Rolex, and Burberry.
Brittany Chang/Insider
This should be no surprise: Many premium brands don’t have Black Friday deals.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And high-income shoppers aren’t as impacted by inflation, which means there’s less urgency to hunt for discounts, Neil Saunders, GlobalData’s retail analyst, told Insider.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Instead, like the Irvine Spectrum Center, most of the crowds were centered around a handful of brands that target younger consumers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The long checkout lines …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… disheveled displays …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… and general bustle at the mall’s Madewell and Zara looked busier than I’ve seen during normal retail hours.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Instead of teenagters, these stores were primarily filled with what looked to be late-Gen Zers and millennials, although the shoppers at South Coast Plaza often seem to skew older because of the number of luxury retailers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Meanwhile, Aritzia was buzzing with customers waiting in a surprisingly long dressing room line.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And there were plenty of shoppers fluttering around Lacoste, Sephora …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… Bath and Body Works, Uniqlo, and Victoria’s Secret.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The two-floor Forever 21, which historically failed to appeal to Gen Zers before its bankruptcy, was nearly empty.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Source: Insider
But to my surprise, the Lego Store had one of the longest lines at the door. It looked like most of these shoppers were families or parents.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Overall, there seemed to be more families, late Gen Z,ers and millennials at South Coast Plaza.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But brands like Zara and Madewell, which generally appeal to younger demographics, looked like some of the shopping center’s most popular stores.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Across both malls, it’s evident the in-person Black Friday shopping extravaganza is not just an event of the past.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But this trend isn’t specific to just Orange County, California.
Brittany Chang/Insider
According to Saunders, in-person Black Friday shopping is back, especially for young shoppers and brands that already see plenty of commercial success.
Brittany Chang/Insider
“Old habits seemed to have resumed after the disruption of COVID-19,” Saunders said. “The younger consumer is really powering a lot of that. It’s very noticeable in stores that cater to the younger demographic.”
Brittany Chang/Insider
It’s a social event for these shoppers, Saunders says. A time for young friends to see each after spending Thanksgiving Day with their families.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And for brands that already see strong sales throughout the year by targeting younger consumers, it’s a time to “strengthen the success trend,” Saunders said.
Brittany Chang/Insider
So as long as brands that target Gen Zers and millennials are offering deals, young shoppers will come flocking.
Brittany Chang/Insider
