It is the experience that brings people to West Edmonton Mall

On Saturday, instead of hanging out in my husbands one room accommodation in Ponoka, we took off to what used to be the largest mall in the world. Last time we were there I couldn’t stand it because it was so loud and busy, it was also a Saturday in December. With Valentines over, how busy could the mall be? VERY busy. The noise level was unbearable all the mall aisles were a sea of bodies moving from one end of the mall to the other. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.

To say 'lease space for stores at West Edmonton Mall' is expensive would be an understatement. The mall itself is in need of a face lift to bring it into the new millennium. The Fantasyland hotel’s lobby is right out of Miami Vice, the mall has not changed since I was a teenager in the 80’s, when the mall was being built. Any other mall would suffer if it did not update it’s look however West Ed is packed the Saturday after Valentine’s Day. Not a major sale to be had.

So why does everyone flock there? First it’s a tourist attraction in it’s own right. Until recently it was the largest mall in the World, that title now goes to a new mall built in Dubai. Second, this is central Alberta Canada, a large indoor mall with a Water Park, an aquarium and an amusement park with shopping is a warm draw for a family day out. Third, teenagers love to hang out at the mall, doesn’t matter if there is something to shop for or not. Fourth, there are specialty stores, big name stores, and high fashion stores you can’t find anywhere else in Alberta. As an added draw, that day there was a minor hockey game being played in the middle of the mall bringing families for both teams in as spectators.

If you want to attract people to your business, you need to make it different, an attraction in itself. This can be done with décor, or atmosphere, even the product itself. Take stock in what your competition is doing and then figure out how to make it fun and entertaining. The difference between being able to charge $20 for a hamburger and $5 for a hamburger isn’t so much the hamburger as it is the experience. Moxies décor is hip and comfortable, the colors, the music, the staff, lighting and even the bathrooms add to the experience of the burger. McDonald's is a very different experience.

The designers of West Ed took what was the norm and made it better and 20 years later it’s still a hot spot. It’s not my favourite place to go shopping for the day, it’s too loud, too busy, and too much stress, but for a day inside with the family, it works. There is so much to do under one roof, if you have the money to spend on the expensive activities, everyone will have fun. I recommend the waterpark indoor waterslides and a huge wave pool, if you can’t afford to escape a Canadian Winter then you can pretend.