The Hustle Daily Show A tale of two malls
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Oct 9, 2025 Exploring the fate of malls, a famous San Francisco center faces vacancy while a Pittsburgh mall thrives with Walmart's redevelopment. Domino's unveils its first rebrand in 13 years, aiming to blend nostalgia with global growth. Meanwhile, SoftBank dives back into robotics with a hefty acquisition. The contrast between high-end stores thriving and mid-range malls struggling highlights shifting shopping dynamics. As gold shines amid economic uncertainty, these stories reveal the evolving landscape of retail and investment.
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SoftBank Reenters Robotics With Big Acquisition
- SoftBank is re-entering robotics by acquiring ABB's robotics unit for $5.4 billion pending approval.
- The deal signals a renewed bet on robotics after earlier misses like Pepper and WeWork.
Affluent Customers Are Reviving Only High-End Malls
- Mall foot traffic has recovered since 2019 but demand is bifurcating toward high-end stores.
- Mid-range and lower-range malls lose customers and face severe vacancy spirals.
San Francisco Center's Rapid Decline
- The San Francisco Center went from 200 stores to about 20 open outlets and 93% vacancy.
- Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's departures triggered a cascading collapse of smaller tenants.