Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi

Almost single-handedly, the construction of Twelve Oaks Mall turned Novi from a sleepy village into a booming suburb. Ideally situated to provide freeway access to both the newer northern and western suburbs of Detroit, Novi is in the center of explosive upscale growth. The mall's large, eclectic selection of mid- to upper-mid-range retailers perfectly suits consumers in the area, and the result is one of the United States's most productive retail properties. Around the mall has sprung up the usual collection of ancillary stores, restaurants and bars, and even eight-lane highways often can't cope with the sheer volume of attendant traffic.