Since World War II they have diffused, proliferated, and changed in ways that were unimaginable to Americans a century ago. Planned shopping centers have five identifying characteristics. This short summary will describe four ways in which planned shopping centers may be classified, will touch on some aspects of their planning and internal layout, and will briefly examine their history and future. Classifications One way that planned shopping centers are frequently classified is by size and customer drawing power. A second way to differentiate centers is by retail specialization.
Most centers offer a mix of goods and services and are relatively unspecialized.
Some shopping centers, however, have been planned as specialized centers. Possible specializations include high fashion, home improvement, and factory outlet stores. They may create a festival atmosphere by featuring a mix of boutiques and ethnic foods within a restored historic building or other interesting structure. Some have become tourist destinations to be experienced, rather than places to shop for particular items. Location is another way in which planned shopping centers differ from one another.