For tween millennial girls, Claire’s was a mall hot spot, its purple sign a beacon for endless trinket shopping at its floor-to-ceiling displays of hair clips, charm bracelets, and soda-scented lip balms. But times, and young shoppers, have changed. In its bankruptcy filing earlier this month, Claire’s referenced declining foot traffic, inflation, tariffs, competition from lower-priced retailers, and “disparity between inventory and customer demand” among its challenges. Forever 21, another youth-focused retailer that peaked in the early 2000s, referenced many similar roadblocks when filing for bankruptcy earlier this year. While it isn’t what it was at its peak, mall shopping isn’t necessarily dead—indoor malls saw 1.3% YoY foot traffic growth in July. Gen Z shoppers in particular are continuing to hit the mall, and Gen Alpha is opting for in-store shopping, as the digital native consumers find in-person retail experiences a novel concept. “The experience of going in store and trying stuff on is actually more unique than it was to previous generations,” Lauren Beitelspacher, professor in the marketing division at Babson College, told Retail Brew. “But what they want from that experience is different than what previous generations wanted.” Retailers targeting young consumers face the conundrum of either growing up with their consumer base or reinventing themselves for every generation. In both circumstances, they must change to meet shifting needs—and those that don’t will be left in the dust that even deep-seeded nostalgia can’t clear. Keep reading here.—EC | 
