Florida's largest mall, Aventura Mall, has officially been named the No. 1 mall in America by USA Today! Boasting over 300 tenants, this retail paradise between Miami and Fort Lauderdale impressed judges with its remarkable museum-quality art collection, an exhilarating chrome slide tower by artist Carsten Holler, and the distinction of being Florida's first home to Eataly.

Physical stores still dominate retail, with 77% of purchases made in-person in 2025—even as AI and e-commerce continue to grow. According to EY research, most consumers still prefer to shop for fresh food, snacks, and beverages offline, and 94% make final purchase decisions in-store after browsing online.

EY’s Jon Copestake warns retailers not to underestimate the value of brick-and-mortar. While AI tools assist shoppers, few trust them to complete purchases. Instead, stores are crucial for discovery, promotions, and building loyalty.

Forward-thinking retailers are reimagining their physical spaces with services like rentals, repairs, and immersive experiences. As Copestake says, “If you're cutting stores, you may be missing a significant trick.”

In Doral, once-busy streets and shops are suddenly quiet as fear spreads among immigrant communities following the rollback of legal protections like TPS and the CHNV parole program. The Biden-era policy had allowed over 500,000 immigrants from countries like Venezuela and Haiti to live and work legally in the U.S., but recent reversals by the Trump administration have left many without work authorization—and too afraid to leave home.

The impact is already being felt in South Florida’s construction and development sectors, where immigrants make up more than 25% of the workforce. With workplace raids increasing and employers required to use E-Verify under Florida’s SB 1718, developers may face labor shortages, project delays, and rising costs. Industry leaders warn that this could be just the beginning.

Mall traffic dipped slightly in June 2025, ending a two-month streak of growth, as shoppers pulled back following a spring surge possibly fueled by anticipated tariff hikes. Indoor malls showed the most resilience, with visits down just 0.7% year-over-year, while outlet malls saw the steepest decline at 4.4%.

Despite the June slowdown, the first half of 2025 painted a largely positive picture: indoor mall visits rose 1.8%, open-air centers grew 0.6%, and average visit duration increased across all formats—indicating stronger consumer engagement. Notably, indoor malls edged past pre-pandemic levels for the first time, up 0.3% from 2019.

The recovery continues, with open-air centers maintaining the most consistent post-COVID performance, and indoor malls closing the gap. As Placer.ai notes, the mall rebound story is still unfolding.

The retail industry has been a rollercoaster, and since 2017, Retail Dive has been tracking every twist and turn of major bankruptcies. We've seen titans like Sears fade, others like Lord & Taylor vanish surprisingly fast, and even some, like Gymboree and Payless, face bankruptcy not once, but twice! It's a fascinating look at which retailers adapt, which ones pivot to digital, and which seemingly disappear only to resurrect in new forms, like Toys R Us finding a new home at Macy's. Keeping an eye on these bankruptcies reveals the ever-changing health of the retail world and offers clues about evolving consumer trends.

Despite initial stability in the commercial real estate sector, a mixed picture is emerging regarding the impact of rising tariffs and global uncertainty. While major players like Blackstone acknowledge the influence of tariffs on their investments, experts like MSCI's Jim Costello suggest that early warning signs—such as widening credit spreads and a drop in hotel deal volume—indicate potential trouble ahead. The slow nature of commercial real estate deals means the full effects might not be visible until late 2025, but a potential reduction in global liquidity could significantly impact the market.

Think malls are dead? Think again—Class A malls are quietly thriving.

Despite the doom-and-gloom around retail real estate, top-tier malls are holding strong, according to Newmark’s latest report. While Class B and C malls have struggled with declining foot traffic and occupancy, Class A malls saw a 1.7% increase in visits from 2023 to 2024, and are maintaining 94% occupancy—right in line with open-air shopping centers.

The trend reflects retailers consolidating into high-performing locations and shifting expansion to open-air formats like strip centers with modern conveniences. With limited new mall development since 2010, rents at Class A malls have jumped 36% over the last decade. Newmark says the key to staying ahead is continued innovation, tech adoption, and reinvestment to keep shoppers coming back.

Big tax break coming for Florida commercial tenants—if the Governor signs off.

Florida’s legislature has passed HB 7031, a game-changing bill that would fully eliminate the state and local sales tax on commercial real estate leases starting October 1, 2025. This move builds on years of gradual tax reductions and, if signed by Gov. DeSantis, would make Florida the first state to completely remove this tax burden.

However, not all rentals are off the hook—short-term residential stays, parking, boat slips, and aircraft hangars remain taxable. Also, any rent tied to pre-October 1 occupancy will still be taxed, even if paid later. And buyers of commercial properties must still watch out for successor liability unless the seller obtains a certificate of compliance from the Florida Department of Revenue.

Bottom line: This is a win for landlords and tenants, but smart planning is key to maximize savings and avoid future tax headaches.