The exclusive Bal Harbour villa is a renowned luxury activity location in South Florida. One of its stars is Bal Harbour Shops, one of the most sumptuous and profitable shopping centers in the United States.
The great area of Miami offers endless sightseeing and entertainment options. From historic places like Villa Vizcaya, to stunning natural oases in the city like Crandon Park. There are also unique cultural enclaves, such as Little Havana.
In particular, the Magic City is renowned in the region for its offer of shops and boutiques. The Miami Design District, for example, is a vibrant space dedicated to avant-garde fashion, design and architecture experiences.
In this context, Bal Harbour Shops stands out as a leading destination for luxury shopping in a tropical environment. In the era of mega shopping malls, this site maintains an atmosphere of unparalleled intimacy and exclusivity. It is ideal to know the latest international fashion trends for both women and men. It also offers children’s shops, home and even bookstores. In addition, it offers culinary experiences for family dinner or enjoy dessert and coffee.
A paradisiacal shopping center
Bal Harbour Shops is located in Bal Harbour, a lavish villa north of Miami Beach. It is a community with higher standards of living. Founded in 1946, it consists of oceanfront properties and high-end resorts (Bal Harbour, n.d.).
The mall stood out from its beginnings. Renowned real estate developer Stanley Whitman had the idea to create a luxury shopping complex in the villa around 1957. His innovative vision went against what was usual at the time: large closed buildings that combined retail stores with essential services such as markets and hardware stores (Bal Harbour Shops, n.d. a).
In contrast, Whitman envisioned an open place set in harmony with the paradisiacal setting of Miami Beach. It is characterized by its wide and illuminated structure, as well as by its palms, trees and gardens. Opening in 1965, Bal Harbour Shops was the first shopping mall in the country dedicated solely to luxury brands (Whitman Family Development, n.d.).
Later, in 1983 its second floor was inaugurated. A new expansion of more than 31,500 square meters and valued at 500 million dollars will be completed by 2023 (Cordle, 2019).
A commercial success
It is usual for this incomparable place to lead the lists of shopping centers with the highest sales productivity in the United States. In fact, in 2012 it was declared the most productive in the world by the International Council of Shopping Centers’ magazine for its sales of $ 2,555 per square foot (Bal Harbour Shops, n.d. a).
Bal Harbour Shops‘ stellar performance is a historic trend. Its sales have increased annually without fail since its inauguration, except only years of extraordinary events such as 2001 (the attacks of September 11) and 2009 (the global economic crisis) (Bal Harbour Shops, n.d. a).
The universe of Bal Harbour Shops
This success has to do with its exclusivity. It was the first home outside New York of well-known European brands. Likewise, in 1971 it hosted the first premises of the luxurious Neiman Marcus outside its native Texas. In 1976, it became the first mall to feature both this department store and a Saks Fifth Avenue (Whitman Family Development, n.d.).
Today, Bal Harbour Shops is considered a Shopping Hall of Fame. It offers one hundred of the world’s most luxurious and famous fashion and jewelry brands under one roof. It is on par with legendary shopping areas such as Madison Avenue in New York and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (Bal Harbour Shops, n.d. a).
Their catalogue has something for every interest (Bal Harbour Shops, n.d. b):
- Design houses such as Versace, Chanel, Valentino, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana.
- Jewelry brands such as Tiffany, Rolex, Bulgari and Harry Winston.
- Stores focused on men’s items such as Ermenegildo Zegna and Canali.
- Women’s lingerie stores such as La Perla, Marie France Van Damme and Agent Provocateur.
- Establishments specialized in the little ones such as Couture Kids and Bonpoint.
- Home accessories firms such as Diptyque, Christofle and Michael Aram.
- Restaurants to enjoy such as Makoto, Carpaccio and Chocolatier.
The expansion will welcome an estimated 40 new stores (Bal Harbour Shops, n.d. a). It will also include more dining options to complete the elegant shopping experience (Schubert, 2019).
Bal Harbour Shops is an icon of the Bal Harbour coastal community. Its spirit of tropical luxury and its incomparable business offer make it an unmissable shopping destination of international level.
References
Bal Harbour. (n.d.). History.
Bal Harbour Shops. (n.d. a). BAL HARBOUR SHOPS: A LONG-TIME LEADER IN LUXURY.
Bal Harbour Shops. (n.d. b). STORE DIRECTORY.
Cordle, I. (2019). The Closing: Matthew Whitman Lazenby. The Real Deal.
Schubert, N. (2019). Revisit the Development of Bal Harbour Shops With This New Book. Ocean Drive.
Whitman Family Development. (n.d.). STANLEY WHITMAN.
