For many years, malls were community gathering places and were the place to go on certain days of the year including Black Friday , the entire holiday shopping season and also back to school.

Not all communities have malls that provide this experience anymore, but Westfarms , on the border of Farmington and West Hartford, remains the place to go for Connecticut shoppers in big numbers. The Westfarms’ stores were bustling for this past back-to-school season and most certainly be packed again for the holiday season later this year.

So how do Westfarms mall and its 140 shops continue attract customers? Experts say an affluent location as well as mall management staying there help it evolve with the times.

Dr. Mousumi Bose Godbole , of the University of Fairfield Dolan School of Busine

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