Seven Malls and High Streets Illustrating India’s Shift Toward Experience-led Retail

Experience-led retail in India’s malls and high streets:

India’s malls are evolving beyond traditional shopping centres into destinations where people spend time dining, socialising and seeking entertainment. Developers are allocating larger portions of space to restaurants, cafés and leisure zones as consumer behaviour shifts toward experience-driven visits rather than quick retail trips.

Industry data underscores the change. Retail leasing across India’s major cities reached about 8.9 million sq ft in 2025, among the highest levels recorded in recent years. Fashion brands accounted for nearly 48% of leasing demand, while food and beverage outlets represented about 13% and entertainment roughly 8%, highlighting the growing importance of experiential retail formats.

Across north India, several developments illustrate how malls are adapting to these changing expectations.

Ambience Mall, Gurugram

Location: NH-48, Ambience Island, DLF Phase 3, Gurugram

Highlight: One of the largest shopping malls in the Delhi-NCR region

Ambience Mall in Gurugram is a large-scale retail and entertainment destination located along the Delhi–Gurugram border. The mall houses a wide mix of international and domestic brands along with restaurants, cafés and multiplex entertainment, attracting visitors from both cities.

Did you know? Opened in 2007, Ambience Mall Gurugram spans roughly 1.8 million sq ft of built-up area and includes over 200 retail outlets, making it one of the largest operational malls in north India.

Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj

Location: Nelson Mandela Road, New Delhi

Highlight: One of the largest and most established malls in Delhi

Ambience Mall in Vasant Kunj remains one of the capital’s best-known organised retail destinations. The mall hosts a wide mix of domestic and international brands along with multiplex entertainment and extensive dining options, attracting visitors from across south Delhi and neighbouring Gurgaon.

Did you know? Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj has long been counted among the largest operational malls in Delhi, with hundreds of retail outlets spread across multiple floors.

Vegas Mall, Dwarka

Location: Sector 14, Dwarka, New Delhi

Highlight: Retail, Multiplex and indoor entertainment hub

Vegas Mall serves one of west Delhi’s largest residential catchments. The mall combines fashion retail with restaurants, gaming zones and a PVR multiplex, creating a destination that blends shopping with entertainment.

Did you know? Dwarka has a population of over one million residents, making it one of Delhi’s largest planned sub-cities and a strong catchment for organised retail.

Reach 3Roads, Gurgaon

Location: Southern Peripheral Road (SPR), Gurugram

Highlight: Open-air high street retail concept

Reach 3Roads adopts a high street layout rather than the conventional enclosed mall format. Designed around landscaped courtyards and pedestrian-friendly walkways, the development integrates restaurants, cafés, retail, and leisure in an open-air setting that encourages longer dwell time and community engagement.

Reflecting India’s shift toward experience-led retail, the project prioritises accessibility, outdoor interaction, and lifestyle-driven consumption over traditional transactional formats.

Did you know? The Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) corridor has rapidly evolved into one of Gurugram’s fastest-growing residential micro-markets, with a significant concentration of new housing developments strengthening the project’s captive catchment.

CP67, Mohali

Location: Sector 67, Airport Road, Mohali

Highlight: Mixed-use lifestyle complex in the Chandigarh tricity region

CP67 integrates high-street retail, office spaces, restaurants and entertainment facilities within a single complex, reflecting the growing trend of mixed-use developments in tier-two urban markets.

Did you know? Mohali’s Airport Road corridor has emerged as one of the fastest-growing commercial districts in the Chandigarh tricity region, attracting new office and retail projects.

Felix Plaza, Gurgaon

Location: Sector 82A, Gurgaon

Highlight: Retail and entertainment destination serving emerging residential sectors

Felix Plaza is a commercial retail development in Sector 82A, Gurgaon, bringing together retail outlets, dining spaces and entertainment facilities within a single complex.

Did you know? The project is planned to include more than 150 retail outlets along with a multiplex, food court, fine dining restaurants and entertainment zones, reflecting the growing demand for organised retail and leisure destinations in Gurgaon.

SPJ Vedatam, Gurgaon

Location: Sector 14, Old Gurgaon

Highlight: Organised retail hub entering a traditional market neighbourhood catering to 11 sectors

SPJ Vedatam aims to introduce modern and organised retail infrastructure to an area historically dominated by neighbourhood markets and small shops.

Did you know? Old Gurgaon remains one of the city’s most densely populated residential districts, making it an attractive location for organised retail development.

The changing face of malls

Across India, malls are increasingly designed as places that combine retail with dining, entertainment and social interaction. Developers are experimenting with open-air layouts, curated food districts and mixed-use commercial hubs as they respond to changing consumer preferences.

Together, these developments highlight how India’s mall landscape is gradually shifting toward experience-led retail formats, where visitors come not just to shop but to spend time.

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