Roseville's Rosedale Center Projected To Be Most Shopped Mall For Holidays

For the second consecutive year, Twin Cities consumers plan to do the majority of their holiday, mall-related shopping at Rosedale Center in Roseville, according to the 10th annual University of St. Thomas Holiday Spending Sentiment Survey released Wednesday morning.

The Roseville regional mall topped the Mall of America (MOA) and other large-scale metro shopping centers and the two downtowns as the top destination where consumers say plan to do most of their holiday spending. Rosedale had 21.1 percent of those surveyed while MOA trailed closely with 20.3 percent.

Rosedale and MOA were followed by Burnsville, Ridgedale, Maplewod Mall, Southdale, Arbor Lakes, Riverdale, Eden Prairie, downtown Minneapolis, Northtown, Albertville, Woodbury Lakes and downtown St. Paul.

Those were among numerous findings in St. Thomas' online survey of about 350  residents in the 13-county Twin Cities area conducted earlier this month.

"According to the survey, household spending for holiday gifts is predicted to be 3.4 percent more in the Twin Cities this yiear than last,''  St. Thomas researchers said in a news statement. "This year's predicted household spending for holiday gifts, $703, compared to last year's $680.

Dave Brennan, co-director of St. Thomas' Institute For Retailing Excellence, said in a press conference that Rosedale's top-ranked showing as a holiday shopping destination is due to its central location in the Twin Cities, including approximately half way point between the Minneapolis and St. Paul downtowns.

"It (Rosedale) is the closest mall to more people in the metro area" and is within close proximity of Interstate 35-W and Highway 36, Brenann said. Rosedale has the best geographic location of all the major shopping centers, he said.

Brennan said Rosedale also has a strong mix of retail tenants and has strengthened it attractiveness with "lifestyle center" area and outdoor restaurant area. The shopping center's anchor tenants include Macy's, Herberger's and JC Penney.

As a place to shop, MOA came in first and Rosedale was second, according to the latest survey.