Suburban Shopping Malls in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

This chapter explores a somewhat neglected area within suburban studies – retailing and shopping. A comparative analysis of different types of suburban shopping centres within Melbourne, Australia, highlights that such places function as more than just spaces of consumption; they also serve as community hubs, especially for people from minority and immigrant backgrounds. The design, layout, and accessibility of shopping centres plays an important role in inhibiting and/or facilitating the idea that they are ‘public spaces’. Older shopping centres tend to be more enclosed, poorly designed, and disconnected from their wider surrounds. In comparison, newer shopping centres tend to be relatively more permeable. That said, the newer corporate-owned shopping centres analysed, despite being located in areas with high levels of cultural diversity, tend to be under-represented in terms of ethnic minority-owned shops. Instead, immigrant communities are more visible in strip shopping centres as evidenced by the mix of retail outlets and visual signage. In light of the increasingly multicultural character of suburban Melbourne shopping centres may have to reassess their design, lettings, and public spaces in order to reflect the needs and wants of the local communities they serve.