strip mall

noun

1. a retail complex consisting of stores or restaurants in adjacent spaces in one long building, typically having a narrow parking area directly in front of the stores.

Word History and Origins

Origin of strip mall¹

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Moments before the robbery Friday, the 88-year-old store owner and his adult son were getting ready to close the family business on Aborn Road in the nondescript strip mall.

From Los Angeles Times

The home goods retailer, once common in strip malls and shopping centers, used to have more than 80 stores in California.

From Los Angeles Times

Then she found a better, if smaller, place in a strip mall near downtown, within walking distance of her home.

From Los Angeles Times

Rubenyan’s brother, Gary, became a partner, allowing them to launch their first restaurant, a corner space in a strip mall on Western Avenue.

From Los Angeles Times

The businesses neighboring the Country Kitchen in the strip mall along PCH have all had to adapt to the aftermath of the fire.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arcade 
• bazaar 
• flea market 
• mall 
• plaza 
• shopping mall