By NRF
Hot 25 Retailers like Daiso Sangyo, MUJI and Five Below offer shoppers engaging experiences and curated events
NRF’s Hot 25 Retailers list reflects the growing influence of Generation Z. And it likely won’t be the last list to do so.
With Gen Z’s buying power expected to top $12 trillion in just five years, retailers like Daiso Sangyo (No. 13), MUJI (No. 14) and Five Below (No. 15) have made their way onto the list with the help of Gen Z and their younger siblings, often called Generation Alpha.
They’re also helping to reshape the American mall, with one survey finding they are as likely to shop at malls as their grandparents, the Baby Boomers.
That finding is driving a new trend in commercial real estate, “to take older malls and make them into Gen Z malls,” says David Marcotte, senior vice president of global retail and technology for Kantar. Kantar compiles the data for NRF’s annual ranking of retailers that posted the biggest growth in 2024.
Asian retail experiences like Daiso Sangyo and MUJI have proven popular with younger shoppers; one Asian publication called Daiso Sangyo “the” retailer for Gen Z and Alpha shoppers. For its part, MUJI appeals to the minimalistic style of Gen Z.
Both amp up their draw by including events which “generate enormous foot traffic at malls,” Marcotte says. “They’re creating the energy to make the mall come alive.”
READ the full story HERE.
