Why these are boom times for some Bay Area malls

The Bay Area’s humming economy has made the region’s shopping centers hot properties for retailers.

According two recent reports, vacancy rates at many malls and shopping centers are very low and are projected to remain so at least for the next year. While there are national reports of “dead” or failing malls, experts disagree whether this is a trend to watch in the Bay Area.

While the average shopper might loosely use the word “mall” for many shopping destinations, the word encompasses an ecosystem…