Retail "power centers" are shopping malls that include several (or more) anchor retail tenants each of which operate as a category-killer retailer in the marketplace.
"Category killer" retailers seek to dominate a particular category of products or services offering a large number of SKU's (or stock-keeping units) at prices commensurate with a high-volume turnover.
This type of anchor tenant can be contrasted with the traditional department store type that has long anchored regional malls. Department stores have not sought to be category-killers in particular merchandise categories, but rather, to offer a wide array of products (and services) with which to draw a broad group of customers.
The "big idea" in organizing a power center tenant mix, is that each of the anchor stores are in themselves, shopping destinations, capable of attracting customers.
Power centers typically have a limited roster of in-line tenants, since shopper attracting to a power center are typically coming with one trip destination in mind - a particular store - rather than coming to browse as in the case of a typical regional shopping mall.
1986 - Terranomics of San Francisco opens the first "power center" at 280 Metro Center in Colma (California). Power centers are loosely defined as shopping centers of between 250,000 and 600,000 square feet, with approximately 75% to 90% of its space occupied by category killers or destination anchor stores.
