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I grew up five minutes from Bal Harbour Shops and thought it was a pretty terrible mall all throughout my childhood since it had no arcade, KB Toys, or Electronics Boutique.

It’s pretty amazing how it and Aventura Mall continue to grow. I guess Latin America hasn’t gotten the message that retail is dead (in reality, a flight to Miami and an empty suitcase is a bargain compared to the prices folks see at home).

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I used to live in Surfside, which is right next door to the Bal Harbour Shops. Hard to tell from photos, but the mall is TINY.

Also, the foot traffic is really light. Most people seem to hang out at the few cafés or restaurants. But I suppose with prices like that, they need a lot less traffic to pay rent.

You mentioned them hanging out at restaurants. I think malls are reinventing themselves into destinations for high end cuisine more than retail. This is a place where people go to see and be seen, no better place for that than a bar/restaurant.

I agree with you. I’ve been to Bal Harbour Shops multiple times to eat and hangout at Carpaccio. I’ve never purchased anything from the stores. I see other malls in Miami bulding new restaurants.

Small world! I grew up in Surfside (from 1991 until I left for college in 2003).

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