Plaza Semanggi is glowing again. Once nearly deserted, the landmark shopping center at the Semanggi interchange has been reborn as Lippo Mall Nusantara, with a fresh concept aimed at turning malls into social hubs rather than just shopping venues.

A visit by SUAR found the mall buzzing with visitors, especially in its new LG-floor food court, which caters to office workers from Sudirman and Gatot Subroto. The space seats more than 1,000 people and features over 200 dishes from MSMEs nationwide. Communal tables, fountains, and trees add to the relaxed atmosphere, while the Museum of Indonesia’s Struggle—the only museum inside a mall—provides cultural depth with displays on national heroes.

The rebrand appears to be working. Since reopening in February, foot traffic has surged.

According to Intan Maulidia Putri, 31, a staffer at Lontong & Nasi Kari Legenda Medan, F&B outlets dominate.

“Right now, peak hours are during workdays, typically from 12:00 to 16:00,” she told SUAR at Lippo Mall Nusantara on Wednesday (Aug. 6, 2025).

The variety of menus and attractive décor, she said, encourage visitors to linger and gather with family and friends.

She added that her tenant’s sales have climbed steadily since launch. The variety of menus and attractive décor, she said, encourage visitors to linger and gather with family and friends.

It’s not just Lippo Mall Nusantara. Plaza Blok M has seen a similar revival. Since the MRT opened, the mall across from Blok M Terminal has again been packed.

“Access is very easy, especially with the MRT. Visitors can get off directly at Blok M Station,” said Salsabila Cynailla, 20. Beyond transit access, the broader Blok M area is lively and filled with attractions, keeping the mall vibrant and popular.

“Access is very easy, especially with the MRT. Visitors can get off directly at Blok M Station,” said Salsabila Cynailla.

Cynailla said she enjoys Blok M as a hub for snacks and fashion. This time, she and four friends visited a photobooth offering costumes and quirky accessories—from glasses to hats.

“At first I came to Plaza Blok M because it’s close and there are lots of snacks. I used to come here with family; now I come with friends,” she said.

Other malls undergoing transformation include ITC Fatmawati, Mall Ambassador, and Sarinah.

For many visitors, mall trips are increasingly about fun and socializing rather than just shopping—a shift that reflects how Indonesia’s malls are evolving into hangout and entertainment destinations.

From Shopping Venue to Hangout Hub

Indonesia’s malls are evolving beyond retail into broader social-connection hubs. Cinemas, themed restaurants, live music, and sports venues are now the main draw—shopping often comes afterward, and sometimes shifts online.

“The tendency is to go to the mall either to watch a movie or eat, to gather with family or friends,” said Alphonzus Widjaja, chair of the Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI), in Jakarta on Wednesday (Aug. 6).

“The tendency is to go to the mall either to watch a movie or eat, to gather with family or friends,” said Alphonzus Widjaja, chair of the Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI)

Despite the continued rise of online shopping, Widjaja remains upbeat about the outlook for malls, noting that Indonesia’s shopping-center area per capita is the lowest in ASEAN—leaving ample room to grow.

He acknowledged, however, that department stores and hypermarkets are under pressure, with many closing amid competition from newer, more efficient formats.

Amid the influx of foreign brands, Widjaja underscored the need to support local products through facilities, incentives, and ease of doing business. Coffee shops and restaurants have proliferated in malls, replacing part of conventional retail space. Before the pandemic, food & beverage (F&B) accounted for 10%–20% of mall tenants; now, he said, it has jumped to 30%–40%—“but it shouldn’t dominate.”

Other innovations—padel courts, art exhibition spaces, and children’s play zones—are becoming new magnets, reflecting a broader trend: consumers visit malls for the experience, not merely to go home with shopping bags.

Post-Pandemic Behavior Shifts

INDONESIA — Consumer behavior has changed markedly from the pre-pandemic era, says Heri Andreas, an economist at Indef.

“Before the pandemic, we went everywhere. We’d eat at restaurants and shop along the way. After Covid-19, we got used to shopping online—and it turned out to be more enjoyable than shopping in person. That’s what people are hooked on now,” he told SUAR at Indef’s office (Aug. 6, 2025).

Consumers are now more savvy about price comparisons. The same item can be far more expensive at department stores than on marketplaces, with abundant choices available without leaving home. “It’s better to buy online,” Heri said.

This pattern is forcing retailers to move beyond relying solely on physical foot traffic. Many brands, he noted, are shrinking offline stores into display-only showrooms while nudging final transactions to online platforms.

Even so, malls retain one advantage a phone screen can’t replicate: atmosphere. After months of isolation at home, people crave social spaces. “Today, we have to recognize that people are looking for cozy places—to hang out, socialize, and connect,” Heri explained.

Malls retain one advantage a phone screen can’t replicate: atmosphere.

The same trend is fueling open-air food courts outside malls, which are packed after work and on weekends—an adaptation, he said.

“There are now many areas where the entire space is dedicated to food. They’re always full. After work, people gather and catch up—it’s happening everywhere.”

An omni-channel strategy has become essential. Rather than treating e-commerce as a rival, malls use it to extend their storefronts: shoppers can see items in person, then complete the purchase online.

“With programs like these, we hope to keep attracting consumers to shop—whether at the mall or online,” Heri said.