How Orange County’s South Coast Plaza Pulls in $2 Billion a Year | Eater LA

"Set on former farmland that once grew lima beans, this privately held shopping resort has been cultivated by the Segerstrom family into a 2.8 million-square-foot destination with some 250 boutiques, about 30 restaurants, more than 20 million annual visitors, and annual sales north of $2 billion; it’s intentionally presented as a destination rather than a mall, housing everything from Petrossian caviar tastings to waffle sandwiches, and offering dining at all price points so you can get a Michelin-star meal amid high-end retail. Over decades the center has become a beacon for kitchen talent and wealthy diners, attracting Michelin-recognized restaurants and celebrity chefs, fostering a quasi-chefs’ community that works closely with the Segerstroms on private events, and expanding into more approachable, social-media–friendly offerings like the Collage Culinary Experience to draw younger crowds while retaining its luxury identity." - Jenn Tanaka