In the 1995 movie “Babe,” a pig learns to herd sheep. Today, some malls are learning to do something equally unexpected: show movies.
Westfield Century City has just installed a giant movie screen on the side of the Bloomingdale’s building for its summer film series, which will run through September. The 800-square-foot retractable screen will show free flicks – including family-friendly fare such as “Babe” and the original “Karate Kid.” About 500 people have been packing the mall’s second-level dining terrace for the alfresco shows.
Westfield’s Movies on the Terrace series is the latest example of the new ways that malls are trying to attract shoppers.
“There’s one-upmanship here,” said Andrew Strenk, president of Tustin retail consulting firm Strategic Planning Concepts International. “Customers who live in that area can go to Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place, Beverly Center or Rodeo Drive. There are a number of places they can go, so what we are seeing basically is a race for competitive advantage.”
Popular outdoor retail center the Grove, built by developer Rick Caruso, started showing films in its outdoor courtyard three years ago.
Jennifer Gordon, senior vice president of public relations and special events for Caruso Affiliated, said the Grove offers a different experience than Westfield – lawn seating.
“We have the park and people can bring picnic baskets,” Gordon said.
She estimated about 1,000 to 1,200 people attend the outdoor screenings, which show every Thursday evening during July and August.
Westfield Century City tried out the concept Wednesdays in summer 2009 to see if movies would bring people to the food court.
“It was a time, and continues to be a time, when we had some merchants in the dining terrace area who were a little bit soft,” said Karla Villatoro, marketing director for the retail center. “And it was an attempt to get some traffic and sales up on the dining terrace on a day that’s usually a slow day.”
Last summer, the movies were projected onto a sheet of vinyl on the Bloomingdale’s building, and the concept proved to be a success. Villatoro said food court restaurants reported an uptick in sales on movie nights.
“When you see the crowd, most everyone has a tray of food in front of them or a coffee or something,” she said. So the mall adopted the concept and added a better screen.
Movies at the mall might sound fun to some, but Strenk said it could backfire.
“It has to be a good experience,” Strenk said. “If a consumer comes to see a movie and the parking is congested or there a lot of loud, obnoxious people throwing food and spilling drinks, they might not have a good experience.”
