Suburbanization gave Ikea the opportunity to build massive stores at affordable cost to which customers could flock.

FORBES: Could Something Go Badly for Ikea and Its New CEO?

So while many malls struggle in North America, they are thriving in Asia due in part to suburbanization and automobiles.

FORBES: It's A Mall World After All

"The general process of suburbanization is, the richer you are, the more likely you move to the suburbs, " says Julie Martin, a senior demographer for the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.

FORBES: America's Richest Counties