By Dylan Cheely
Four years on from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American shopping mall as we know it has failed to recover from the blows it faced by stay-at-home orders and our collective suspicion of crowded indoor public spaces. Malls had already been hit hard years before the advent of the pandemic by the birth of online shopping and general shifts in consumer habits, and properties that could not reinvent themselves to adapt to this new retail sphere have floundered.
Shopping malls that have in fact survived and thrived in the modern day have done so by finding new anchors, i.e., businesses that will not only bring in customers for their own benefit but will also enhance the amount of traffic directed towards neighboring businesses.
Over the last several years, one emerging shopping mall anchor has emerged in the form of Kids Empire, a chain of indoor children’s playgrounds/entertainment centers that have exploded in popularity across half the country due to their focus on providing fun, safe, and screen-free experiences for children and adults alike. Led since 2024 by pioneering French CEO Cyrille Bessiere, Kids Empire has become a boon to shopping centers in 26 states, with its massive indoor playgrounds drawing tens of millions of visitors per year and in turn driving massive foot traffic to restaurants and retail stores in the malls it calls home.
Under Bessiere’s leadership, Kids Empire has notably forged partnerships with some of the country’s largest commercial real estate developers, including Macerich, the nation’s third-largest owner and operator of shopping centers.
Mr. Bessiere has brought to Kids Empire decades of hard-won experience in the European venture capital and investment industries. Bessiere’s entrepreneurial journey began in strategy consulting. After graduating from HEC Paris (one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious private business schools, ranked among the world’s leading institutions for business education) in 2004, he joined The Boston Consulting Group. There, he spent six years working on high-stakes business problems.
But Bessiere had always pictured himself as a builder. In 2010, he leaped into entrepreneurship, launching the US operations of Palais des Thés, a premium French tea brand.
In just seven years, Bessiere transformed Palais des Thés into a leader in the luxury market. The brand secured partnerships with Macy’s, Saks, and Bloomingdale’s. It soon became a fixture in several iconic hotels, including The Plaza and Ritz-Carlton. Bessiere also launched a tea school in SoHo, New York, the first of its kind in the city.
“We didn’t just sell tea,” Bessiere explains. “We built an experience around it, creating a community of enthusiasts.”
Serving as a senior leader within the ranks of French billionaire Pierre-Édouard Stérin’s pioneering French investment firm Otium Capital, Bessiere fostered the creation and exponential growth of multiple French and American companies that have now become distinguished leaders in their respective industries. Ana Luisa is a case in point. Bessiere transitioned the sustainable jewelry brand from a direct-to-consumer model to omnichannel success. He led the company’s Series A financing round and facilitated partnerships with Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
Upon becoming a dominant shareholder in Kids Empire in 2023, Otium Capital planned to take this already wildly successful business (founded and shepherded to greatness by lauded French entrepreneur Haim Elbaz) and expand its national reach to an even greater degree. To this end, the firm placed Cyrille Bessiere into the driver’s seat, putting him in charge of the company’s executive-level leadership and its operations in total.
The results of Otium’s choice to put Kids Empire in Mr. Bessiere’s hands speak for themselves: the company has risen to become an undeniable leader in its nice, drawing an average of 10,000 visitors a week to each of its 100-plus parks. The boon that Kids Empire’s success has contributed to local economies is staggering: neighboring businesses report increased visitors, and thousands of jobs have been created.
Bessiere understands the unique challenges of scaling businesses, knowledge that has brought such enormous success to Kids Empire and which has fueled its rapid expansion.
“Execution matters more than ideas,” he insists. “Success depends on finding the right people to execute your strategy.”
He also emphasizes patience and brand consistency: “Growing quickly is exciting, but you can’t neglect the customer experience or the brand. Sometimes, you need to step back and rethink before moving forward.”
Bessiere’s experiences in France and the US have shaped his global perspective. He knows what it takes to bridge cultural gaps and drive international success. “Understanding different mindsets is critical,” he adds.
Bessiere insists that entrepreneurs should never see themselves as victims. Instead, he recommends maintaining a growth mindset: “If you fail, start again. Keep learning and innovating.” He also stresses adaptability. “The market changes, and so must you. Stay relevant by embracing new ideas and experimenting.”
Excited about the future, Bessiere plans to inspire professionals to cross the Atlantic and pursue their ambitions in the US. He also wants to take Kids Empire’s revenue from $100 million today to $1 billion.
“This is a land of opportunity,” he confirms. “I want to show people what’s possible.”
For Cyrille Bessiere, the thrill of scaling a business never fades: “I’m just getting started. The best is yet to come.”
The photo in the article is provided by the company(s) mentioned in the article and used with permission.
