Mall of America has 500+ stores, restaurants, and attractions, with the exact lineup changing as tenants open and close.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The answer behind how many stores are in Mall of America is simple at first and slightly messier once you start counting. Mall of America officially uses the 500+ figure because the property mixes retail stores, restaurants, services, entertainment venues, pop-ups, and seasonal tenants under one huge directory.
For a visitor, the useful answer is this: plan around more than 500 places to shop, eat, and do things, not a fixed store count that stays the same all year. The mall is big enough that a one-day visit works better with a short target list than with the idea of seeing every storefront.
Mall Of America Store Count: What The 500+ Number Means
Mall of America currently markets itself around 500+ shopping, dining, and entertainment options. The number is rounded because the tenant mix changes often, especially with pop-ups, limited-run retail, relocations, and new openings.
The cleanest way to read the figure is as a live scale marker, not a frozen inventory count. A fashion store, a snack counter, a full-service restaurant, a ride-based attraction, and a service business may all appear in the mall’s directory, but a shopper asking about stores usually cares about the full set of places they can spend time and money.
That is why older articles sometimes say 520 stores while current Mall of America pages use 500+. A precise tenant count can shift by the week, while the visitor takeaway stays the same: Mall of America is large enough to need a plan.
What Counts As A Store At Mall Of America?
Mall of America’s public count includes more than traditional clothing and shoe retailers. The directory groups shopping, food, attractions, services, and local businesses because those are all visitor-facing tenants inside the complex.
That distinction matters if you are trying to compare Mall of America with a normal regional mall. A standard mall may count only retail leases, while Mall of America functions more like a shopping district under one roof.
| Category | Examples You Will See | How It Fits The 500+ Count |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Retail | Clothing, denim, activewear, and brand flagships | Core store count shoppers usually mean first |
| Shoes And Accessories | Sneakers, bags, watches, sunglasses, and jewelry | Separate tenants, often clustered by level or wing |
| Beauty And Personal Care | Cosmetics, skincare, salons, and fragrance shops | Counted as retail or service tenants |
| Dining | Food courts, coffee shops, snacks, and full-service restaurants | Included in the broader directory even when not “stores” |
| Entertainment | Indoor rides, aquarium-style experiences, games, and activity spaces | Visitor-facing tenants, not standard retail shops |
| Services | Gift cards, travel help, phone repair, pickup points, and convenience services | Useful for visitors but easy to miss in a store-only count |
| Pop-Ups And Limited Runs | Seasonal shops, brand tests, and short-term retail spaces | The main reason a precise live number changes |
| Anchor Stores | Large department stores and major retail spaces | Fewer in number but much larger than standard shops |
Why The Exact Number Changes
The exact Mall of America tenant count changes because stores open, close, remodel, relocate, and test short-term concepts. A mall this large does not behave like a fixed museum list; the directory is a live retail roster.
That is good for shoppers because the mix keeps changing. It also means the most honest number is a rounded current range. If one source says 500+ and another says 520, the difference usually comes from timing, counting method, or whether restaurants and attractions are included.
Mall of America’s own live directory is the safest source before a trip. The official Mall of America directory lists current stores, restaurants, attractions, locations, and map details for planning a visit.
How To Check The Current Store List Before You Go
The current store list is easiest to check by using Mall of America’s directory and filtering by category, floor, or name. A live search beats a printed list because tenant moves and opening dates can change close to your visit.
Use the directory in three practical ways:
- Search by store name when you are coming for a specific brand.
- Browse by category when you want clothing, shoes, toys, beauty, food, or entertainment.
- Use the map view when you want to group stores by wing and avoid backtracking.
For a tight visit, pick 8 to 12 target stops before you arrive. For a full shopping day, group stores by area, take a meal break in the middle, and save attraction time for the end so you are not carrying bags through rides or activity spaces.
How Long Do You Need For 500+ Stores?
A focused Mall of America shopping visit usually needs at least half a day, while a shopping-plus-entertainment visit can fill a full day. The store count is too large for a casual “walk the whole mall” approach unless wandering is the point of the trip.
A realistic plan looks like this:
- Two hours: one category, one wing, a snack stop, and a few targeted stores.
- Four hours: several store clusters, lunch, and a short look at the entertainment areas.
- Six to eight hours: shopping, dining, Nickelodeon Universe time, and a slower lap through multiple levels.
Planning Tip: Mall of America is close enough to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport that some travelers visit during a long layover, but luggage storage, transit time, and airport security can shrink the useful shopping window.
Where To Stay Near Mall Of America
Bloomington is the simplest base if Mall of America is the main reason for your trip. Staying near the mall cuts down on transit time and makes it easier to split shopping, dining, and entertainment across two days.
If you want to compare nearby hotels before choosing dates, use a map so you can see which stays are closest to the mall, the airport, and light rail stops:
Minneapolis works better if Mall of America is only one stop on a broader Twin Cities trip. Bloomington works better if you are flying in, shopping heavily, traveling with kids, or planning to visit the mall more than once.
A Shopping Plan That Fits The Store Count
The smartest way to use the 500+ number is to plan by purpose, not by total. Mall of America rewards visitors who decide what kind of trip they want before walking in.
Use this simple split:
- For brand shopping: search the directory first, then group stores by level and wing.
- For families: pair one shopping block with one entertainment block so kids are not dragged through hours of stores.
- For a layover: pick one meal, one category, and one easy-to-find anchor point before leaving the airport.
- For a full weekend: shop one day, then use the second day for dining, rides, and anything you skipped.
Mall of America has 500+ places in its current public count, but the better number for your own visit is much smaller: the stores, restaurants, and activities you actually want to reach without wearing yourself out.
References & Sources
- Mall of America.“Mall of America Directory.”Supports the current 500+ stores, restaurants, attractions, and live directory guidance used in this article.