Gigantic mall in US looks for ways to survive retail blues

New York

THE scene at the US East Coast's largest mall on a recent Friday morning would seem to fly in the face of the doomsday narrative surrounding US retail centres.

A steady stream of holiday shoppers walked through the lacquered halls, browsing stores from Gap to Gucci. By noon, a line was snaking out of an outpost of the Shake Shack burger chain.

In the background, changes are afoot to ensure the crowds keep coming.

King of Prussia Mall, a 2.8 million square foo…