Beverly Center to get Facelift

The Beverly Center, a grand dame in Los Angeles retailing, is placing a $500-million bet on food and sunshine.

A sweeping renovation of the eight-story mall begins late this month and will feature skylights and a new, window-dotted exterior to open and freshen the 1980s shopping fortress.

But the biggest addition to the luxury-brand center will be a fancy food hall and upscale restaurants as developer Taubman Centers, like mall owners across the country, tries to lure increasingly fickle consumers.

Airy outdoor malls such as the Grove and the Americana at Brand, as well as retail stretches such as the Third Street Promenade, are attracting customers who want to browse while enjoying Southern California's balmy weather. Young tech-savvy shoppers are choosing to buy online instead of at bricks-and-mortar stores.