Comment: Setting the standard for modern retail – The Grove, Los Angeles

By Juliana Bentel, graduate surveyor at LM

When you walk through The Grove in Los Angeles, it’s hard to think of it as a shopping centre. It feels more like a holiday resort – warm, scenic, and alive with people. Since opening in 2002, The Grove has redefined what experiential retail can be, setting the standard for how shopping destinations should look, feel, and operate.

Developed and operated by Caruso, The Grove was envisioned not as a mall, but as a ‘Main Street brought back to life’. Every detail has been curated to create a sense of community, with a central park with live fountains, a vintage battery-powered GROVE sign, manicured gardens, concierge-level service, a 14-screen art deco-influenced movie theatre and year-round events. Even the paving and lighting were designed to make you slow down and linger longer.

TMP – An Instant of Time / Shutterstock

Caruso secured a long-term ground lease with the Gilmore family, owners of the adjacent Original Farmers Market, to transform surplus land into a new retail district that would celebrate history while offering a best modern experience. From the start, the project was designed as a walkable ‘town centre’ anchored by Nordstrom and a luxury cinema, opening its doors in March 2002.

Every building façade was custom designed to feel like an independent street, making each store feel like a destination in its own right. The Grove’s success since its opening – weathering the pandemic and the rise of online shopping – lies in this level of intentionality, creating a pleasant, human-scale environment built around emotional connection and experience, not just square footage.

The Grove’s tenant mix is both aspirational and trend-led, showcasing brands that create a sense of discovery. Among the stores you won’t find in the UK are:

• Edikted – a Gen-Z fashion label driven by TikTok culture.
• Backcountry – a US outdoor and adventure e-commerce giant.
• Arhaus – an upscale home furnishings brand.
• Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) – performance-luxury footwear label.
• Todd Snyder – premium NYC menswear designer.
• See’s Candies – California’s heritage confectioner beloved across generations.

And of course, The Cheesecake Factory (one of the Grove’s most iconic restaurants) remains a favourite with both tourists and locals (I can testify!). Its lively, grand interior and indulgent menu embody the real American ‘experience dining’ that has become synonymous with The Grove itself.

One of The Grove’s biggest differentiators is its pop-up installations, offering brands a unique opportunity to create exclusive, immersive experiences that go beyond transactional visits.

Recent activations include the Kylie Cosmetics “King Kylie” anniversary pop-up, which transformed the park into a viral beauty destination, and SKIMS’ first pop-up which attracted huge queues. Others, like LANEIGE, Sézane, and Pandora, have used the site for limited-time experiences that bring digital-first brands to life, driving brand loyalty

What sets The Grove apart is how these activations are executed. Investment into landscaping, infrastructure, and on-site support allow brands to create polished, permanent-feeling installations that are both photogenic and emotionally engaging.

Michael Gordon / Shutterstock

The Grove’s public spaces are as important as its stores. The WET Design fountain (created by the same team behind the Bellagio in Las Vegas) performs hourly choreographed shows, while seasonal programming, from Easter picnics to the iconic Christmas tree lighting and fireworks displays, transforms the destination into a year-round stage.

It’s no coincidence that dwell time and spend per visit at The Grove far exceed US averages.

The Grove offers valuable lessons for UK shopping destinations:

• Create places that feel service led and sociable – more like a hotel than a shopping centre.
• Introduce international brands that UK shoppers can’t access elsewhere.
• Treat the centre as a venue, with a dynamic calendar of events, installations, and cultural activities.
• Build emotional legacy. Caruso doesn’t just manage assets – they create places people feel attached to.

A comparable example closer to my home country of South Africa – is Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg. Like The Grove, Montecasino reimagines retail and leisure as escapism. The Tuscan-style architecture, cobbled streets, “open-sky” painted ceilings, and mix of restaurants, theatre, and shopping all transport visitors into a world that feels special.

While Montecasino leans more toward entertainment and hospitality, and The Grove toward retail placemaking, the feelings these destinations leave shoppers with, stays with them and that’s what makes them successful.

In my opinion, The Grove stands as the standard for what modern shopping destinations should aspire to be – beautiful, pleasant, and worth visiting for far more than just the stores.