ATLANTA—Some claim the traditional, enclosed mall is dead. But Matt Simon, the retail operator who is credited with elevating the profile of The Grove in Los Angeles, is the newly-minted vice president and senior general manager of Avalon. Avalon is North American Properties' (NAP) mixed-use development in Alpharetta, GA, isn't buying it.

“To state the traditional, enclosed mall is dead does not tell the whole story of where retail is headed in the world,” Simon tells Globest.com. “Traditional, enclosed malls continue to provide products and services for many consumers. However, as many consumers evolve, there is a greater focus on the importance of the space where time is spent before and after work when people are shopping or spending time with family and friends.”

As Simon sees it, the traditional mall is not a place most consumers want to spend an extended period of time. That he says, is because it's not a space where many aspects of a person's life can be enhanced.