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Industry briefs

Pop Mart × Simon Property: 120 U.S. Mall Stores by 2026

by LABUBUBOX Editorial

While American retailers are closing mall stores, Pop Mart is opening them. The company's January 2026 deal with Simon Property Group—America's largest mall operator—commits to 20+ new locations in a single year, with analysts projecting a total of 120 U.S. and Canada stores by year-end. It is the most aggressive physical retail expansion by a Chinese consumer brand in American history.

Pop Mart store front with collectible displays
Simon Property Group operates 200+ premium malls — Pop Mart is getting prime real estate in America's busiest shopping centers.

The Store Map

New 2026 locations span coast to coast:

  • Northeast: King of Prussia (PA), The Westchester (NY), Walt Whitman Shops (NY), Menlo Park Mall (NJ)
  • Southeast: Sawgrass Mills (FL), Dolphin Mall (FL)
  • West: Brea Mall (CA), Del Amo Fashion Center (CA), Arizona Mills (AZ)
  • Midwest: Twelve Oaks (MI), Woodland Mall (MI)
  • Other: City Creek Center (UT), Grapevine Mills (TX), Potomac Mills (VA), Arundel Mills (MD)

Why Malls, Why Now

Pop Mart stores are not traditional retail. They are experience venues: interactive displays, blind-box vending walls, exclusive in-store drops, and photo-worthy installations. This is exactly what struggling malls need—foot traffic drivers that cannot be replicated by Amazon.

Pop Mart collectible toys retail display
Pop Mart stores average 200+ sq ft of "vending wall" — the Instagram-bait that drives foot traffic.

The Risk Nobody Talks About

120 stores is a lot of fixed cost. Each location needs staff, inventory, and lease payments regardless of whether Labubu stays viral. If the cultural moment cools—and cultural moments always cool eventually—Pop Mart will be sitting on expensive real estate with declining foot traffic.

Pop Mart brand collectibles on display
The question is not whether Pop Mart can open 120 stores — it is whether 120 stores can stay profitable when growth normalizes.

For collectors who prefer online convenience with authentication guarantees, browse Labubu Box and more.

Sources: DBBNWA, The Sun, Simon.com. Editorial analysis.

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