Best Malls in Puebla
They're called "lifestyle centers" for a reason
In many corners of Canada and the United States, malls are a thing of the past, at least in suburbia. Perhaps partly due to cultural decline, and the domination of the online shopping market, the brick-and-mortar model is past its glory days. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, being a mall rat was a thing. Nowadays, they are dusty relics of an era where the nuclear family was at the core of the culture, with aging boomers sitting in the food courts thinking about the glory days, while their children have moved on (to the internet— or online therapy).
In Mexico, shopping malls are like modern zócalos— village squares. Given the growing middle to upper-middle class in Puebla, many modern malls have popped up here in the last few years. The facilities are clean, the architecture stunning, and they boast a style and flare unparalleled to any places I’ve seen in the other north Americas. Some of them are semi-open, or at the very least inviting in tons of natural light. They are places where you can go to gather, shop, eat, go to the movie theatre, and enjoy activities with your whole family— sometimes spending a whole day there, finding everything you need to keep you occupied and having fun.
Here are the top malls in Puebla, in no particular order:
Solesta
Solesta is an open-air mall, which boasts the luxe French grocery franchise City Market in the center. We first came here to go to City Market, but soon discovered there was a massive playground for children in the open-air space downstairs, and spent many hours and days there with our son playing and making friends. The heart of the mall has some great restaurants— not your fast food typical of American malls— like Ocho 30, the upscale Sonata Grill, and a great little smash burger joint called Hudson’s. This mall is kind of like a modern town square, where you go to socialize as much as you go to shop.
Sonata
This is not technically a mall, but an outdoor labyrinth of restaurants, shops, and a playground. It is in the heart of the upscale and modern neighbourhood of Angelopólis. Start your day with a brunch at Ocho 30 and peruse the pop-up markets, chill in the park with your kids, and enjoy the weekend entertainment. When we were there, there was an outdoor Christmas market and an evening show for kids: a live rendition of Tangled.
Angelópolis Lifestyle Center
Angelópolis is the most high-end mall in Puebla. This is the most formal shopping mall, with luxury labels from Europe, the U.S., and Mexico. This mall is a shopper’s paradise, but the price tags are not forgiving. You can find everything from Zara, Spanish brand Stradivarius, Tommy Hilfiger, American Eagle, to high-end deparment stores Liverpool, and Palacio de Hierro. From Sephora to Prada, you will find almost every brand name imaginable here. You come here predominantly to shop, and with the exception of a Cineplex, there are not really any activities for children. This is a more adults-oriented shopping center.
Via San Ángel
Located just down the street from Angelópolis Lifestyle Center, Via San Ángel is a more family-friendly mall. There are brands for kids such as Carter’s and Tiri Tori, and a little built-in daycare called Quendi. This is where you go to pick up your supplements at GNC, and where you’ll find a large Walmart and Ikea.
Explanada Puebla
This is our go-to mall, located in Cholula. It is bright and colourful, and lets in tons of natural light. It has many activities for children, including a kids play center, rentable electric cars and dinosaurs, an indoor hockey rink, and a climbing center called Playtopia. They have less brands here but some great basics, including an H&M, Spanish brand Sfera (my fav), Calvin Klein and Guess. There are also three ice-cream joints including Häagen-Dazs, a Starbucks and Italian Coffee Company. We usually come here to do our groceries at Chedraui, and spend some time first letting our son run around and making some amigos, since there are lots of families doing their weekly commissions.
Parque Puebla
Parque Puebla is kind of like a blend of Angelópolis and Explanada. It is a big shopping center in the heart of Puebla, so if you’re downtown, this is where you will probably want to go. It has many different brands, multiple levels, and a large play center for kids adjacent to the large and luminous food court. It is more reminiscent of the kind of mall you would find in America or large cities in Canada, and less of an activity-oriented place. But I would say, this one is more family friendly than Angelópolis.
Galerías Serdán
Galerías Serdán is on the opposite side of Puebla than the first ones on this list. It also has the large department store Liverpool, and is a modern mall like all the rest. It is one we only visited once due to our location, but it is a very cool spot as well, with well-known brands like Gap, Pandora and Puma. It was the first mall we came to in Mexico, when we were staying in downtown Puebla, and we were so impressed with its flare and largesse.
“I have direction!”
“Yeah, towards the mall.”
Clueless, 1995
To wrap it up,
Shopping malls are a totally different experience in Puebla, Mexico than in many of the places I have seen not only in my home country of Canada, but in my travels to the United States and Europe. Malls are not a thing of the past here; they are a symbol of the future. They are social spaces where people go not just to spend money, but to spend time with their family and friends, and meet new people too. They are indications of Mexico’s economic growth and prosperity, and a representation of its growing middle class: the backbone of this amazing country.
Hasta Luego!
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I've seen mall culture change in Toronto and somewhat in Australia. It's still a place for teens to go and hang and boomers to congregate but no longer in the mallrat kind of way. Or maybe it's because I'm not of the demographic who need to use it as a hang out work/play place. Thanks for opening our eyes to subcultural landscapes in Mexico!