Canada’s Triple Five Group—one of the largest shopping center operators worldwide, and best known for opening The Mall of America and the West Edmonton Mall—has got a brand-new bag. The company is focusing most of its current resources on the American Dream Meadowlands mall in New Jersey, signing leases with several large kids brands to make it a premier shopping destination for families.

Triple Five opened American Dream’s doors in 2019, but its momentum out of the gate stalled when the pandemic reared its ugly head. When it reopened after a seven-month closure in 2020, the mall had still only filled 80% of its total occupancy. And that’s where companies with kids brands in their portfolios have found an opportunity to put down experiential roots and develop new fans.

The mall spans more than three million square feet of retail space, with a nearly equal mix of retailers (45%) and entertainment facilities (55%). Its featured tenants include Toys “R” Us (flagship store, train ride), Nickelodeon (theme park), DreamWorks Animation (indoor water park), The LEGO Group (family entertainment center), Rovio (mini golf) and Bandai Namco (collectibles store).

Hasbro launched The Gameroom, a first-of-its kind entertainment center, in American Dream this past July. The build was an intense journey, according to SVP of global experiences, partnerships and music Matt Proulx, taking nearly 10 years to complete as the partners dealt with a plague of construction delays.

Despite these challenges, Proulx always believed in the potential of the project and Hasbro’s stacked portfolio of brands to attract both local families and the 60 million tourists who make their way to nearby New York state each year.

“When you look at malls today, the ones that are really thriving right now are those that have a healthy balance of great dining, unique entertainment options and a well- thought-out shopping experience,” he says. “We wanted to combine all of those elements together in The Gameroom because we see a deep demand from families and friend groups for shared experiences.”

This Hasbro destination spans 41,500 square feet and boasts a Candy Land Shake Bar featuring photogenic drinks, a G.I. Joe laser tag arena, Monopoly roller games and a prize room stocked with a wide range of the company’s toys and licensed products. Hasbro’s core strategy with this project was to leverage as many brands as possible to ensure the experience appealed to a wide multi-generational audience, notes Proulx.

“Our objective here is to retain or build up more brand affinity,” he says. “It also gives us a space to showcase our upcoming entertainment and product offerings to our core audience, who become some of our most valuable brand ambassadors.”

Sesame Workshop was looking to accomplish similar goals when it announced in June that it was installing its first-ever Sesame Street Learn & Play Center in American Dream. The 13,000-square-foot educational exhibit will launch in Q4, allowing kids to learn about rainforests with Elmo, visit Abby Cadabby’s magical garden, role-play at Hooper’s Store and participate in an arts & crafts fair.

To help bring the center to life, Sesame leveraged Triple Five’s theming and design teams to maximize its venue space and incorporate as many interactive elements as possible. Meanwhile, the organization also used its first-party education and research divisions to build curricula into the activities and ensure the brand was represented throughout the experience.

SVP of global strategic partnerships and themed entertainment Jennifer Ahearn recognizes that experiential installations in retail outlets are a critical tool for expanding a brand’s LBE business in today’s market. “We know that kids who experience our Sesame Street-themed attractions engage even more with our content, which drives them to achieve new learning outcomes.”

While this retail concept will make its debut at American Dream, it’s only the beginning of Sesame’s partnership with Triple Five, says Ahearn. She’s aiming to shop the Learn & Play centers to American Dream’s sister malls, and is also on the hunt for more retail partnerships outside the US.

This story originally appeared in Kidscreen‘s Q3 2024 magazine issue.