South Florida

Your shopping world changed this year. See 5 takeaways in South Florida

Stories by Miami Herald journalists, with AI summarization

The South Florida retail landscape moved under our feet in 2025.

Forever 21's bankruptcy affected multiple South Florida malls, including Aventura.

Macy's, which has been closing stores, plans to open a new one at Midway Crossings.

Catch up with our retail coverage below for these and other consumer stories from 2025.

A Forever 21 store on Lincoln Road Mall in South Beach in a file photo from Oct. 5, 2019.

NO. 1: FOREVER 21’S BANKRUPTCY MEANS SHUTDOWNS AT SOUTH FLORIDA MALLS. SEE THE LIST OF STORES

The fashions were a hit with young shoppers. | Published March 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Howard Cohen

In this file photo from June 12, 2017, a repairman fixes the neon sign on the exterior of Miami Beach’s Macy’s that once was a Burdines store (hence the “Sunshine Fashions” lettering.) By CARL JUSTE

NO. 2: MACY’S HAS BEEN CLOSING STORES — NOW A MIAMI MALL SAYS IT’S PLANNING TO ADD ONE

Mall property manager confirms the department store has a lease. | Published May 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Howard Cohen

Brickell City Centre is at 701 South Miami Avenue.

NO. 3: MALL GIANT BETS BIG ON BRICKELL CITY CENTRE, SPENDING HALF-BILLION ON RETAIL COMPLEX

The open-air shopping center is home to the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Apple and Lululemon. | Published June 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by CD Goette-Luciak

The Girl Choir of South Florida performs at the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale in this file photo.

NO. 4: A MAJOR FORT LAUDERDALE MALL COULD BE REPLACED BY NINE TOWERS AND A HOTEL

The new owners of Fort Lauderdale’s Galleria Mall are considering a redevelopment plan that envisions nine 30-story towers, a 170-room hotel and hundreds of affordable-housing units under state’s Live Local Act, the project’s joint venture leader confirmed Monday. | Published October 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by David Lyons and Susannah Bryan

The new Riviera Plaza Publix’s front main entrance at 1542 South Dixie Highway nears completion in this photo on Aug. 25, 2025. The store opened on Sept. 25. By Howard Cohen

NO. 5: PUBLIX ALLOWS OPEN CARRY, BUT WHAT ABOUT MIAMI-AREA WINN-DIXIE, MALLS, THEATERS?

Florida is now an open-carry state. | Published October 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Howard Cohen, Michael Butler

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.