ONTARIO, CA–We've heard it before: “The mall is dead, e-commerce is ascendant.” But that doesn't mesh with what Marc Smith is seeing. As general manager of the Ontario Mills shopping center located in inland Southern California's San Bernardino County, he says that people still want an in-store shopping experience. The center sees about 28 million visitors a year, 10 million more than Disneyland.

Since opening in 1996, Ontario Mills has been offering what it sees as the ultimate shopping experience, with more than 200 stores that range from luxury retailers and popular affordable brands to entertainment destinations. It's the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in California. GlobeSt.com spoke with Smith to learn what draws shoppers to this high-profile destination.

GlobeSt.com: Tell us about the retailers at Ontario Mills.

Marc Smith: Ontario Mills offers a wide variety of name brand retailers such as kate spade new york, Michael Kors and Nordstrom Rack that attract fashionistas, while athletes are drawn to the Nike Factory Store and Skechers Superstore. Parents can bring their kids to Cotton On Kids, abercrombie kids and Gap Factory. Dining and entertainment options include Rainforest Café, Dave & Buster's, Improv Comedy Club & Dinner and AMC 30 Theatres.

GlobeSt.com: Who is your target market/consumer?

Smith: Ontario Mills is located just outside of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County within the Inland Empire, so many of our regular shoppers hail from surrounding regions but our visitors come from all over the world. We see shoppers from more than 80 countries worldwide. Anyone looking for a quality shopping, dining and entertainment experience can find what they're looking for at Ontario Mills.

GlobeSt.com: How are you evolving your shopping experience in light of e-commerce and online shopping competition?

Smith: Ontario Mills provides an elevated shopping experience. We celebrate shopping as a hands-on adventure. While there's some convenience to online shopping, we know that around 80 percent of shoppers still prefer to shop in stores — nothing beats the benefit of 'trying before buying' or the social camaraderie that occurs while finding the perfect outfit or enjoying a bite with friends. Kidpik began as an online brand and has opted to open a brick and mortar location at Ontario Mills, proving that customer experience and connection is what drives sales to the next level.

GlobeSt.com: What new tenants/build outs have you done, brought on board, why and what do you see for the future?

Smith: Ontario Mills is continually evolving to meet the needs of our customers. Last year we unveiled Fashion Alley, an expanded area of 80,000 square ft. including a California Welcome Center and new brands including Uniqlo, The North Face and Blaze Pizza. In the past 12 months we have welcomed more than 15 new retailers including francesca's, Stickhouse, BoxLunch, kidpik, Typo, WeStyle and Toys R Us and we have more exciting announcements to come.

Instant Insights /

How Retail Is Evolving at Ontario Mills in San Bernardino County

Related Stories

Recommended For You