'Shoppertainment'—Every Day a Holiday

Larry Siegel, chairman and CEO of Mills told stockholders at their 2000 Annual Meeting that the 'shoppertainment' concept has roots that go back to his childhood. Siegel grew up in a family of retail. His father was employed by Philadelphia-based John Wanamakers, a department store that hosted a fantastic light and water show during the holidays.

As a boy, Siegel accompanied his father to watch this amazing show each year. He recalls standing on a balcony above the show, looking down on hundreds of people staring up towards the lights and water emanating from overhead. He remembers realizing, and commenting to his father, that even though there were many other stores competing for shoppers during the holidays, all these people gathered every year at Wanamakers to shop and experience this fantastic event.

Years later, Siegel would cultivate and refine this vision of integrated shopping and entertainment with the Mills. The Mills Corporation has been a leader in the convergence of the super-regional entertainment and value-oriented mega-mall and given the consumer a new and special experience based on interactive retail. Siegel told shareholders that shopping at a Mills location today is a socialization process: You come to buy a fishing lure but end up casting a line with other shoppers at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.