Concord Mills is denoted as an outlet mall - however it still has many of the same stores you would find in any regular mall with those stores carrying their current product lines. I had a professor who once told me that this mall is the biggest tourist attraction in the Charlotte area (I'm not sure if that's true or not). But it definitely attracts a crowd. Holiday time is always crazy as well as any time there is a race going on down the street at the track.
The stores here are great! Many of them are on the newer side or they have recently undergone remodels. The stores on average are probably a little bit bigger and carry more stock than your average local mall. But they can also get a lot messier and harder to find what you're looking for - so it's a trade off. The anchor stores are not your average department stores (belk, macy's, etc) but instead you have stores like Bass Pro Shops and Best Buy.
The mall itself is a big loop but the food court in the middle is also a cut through so it's like a figure 8. The food court has plenty of different options for a quick bite, some sit down, or there's always the restaurants that line the outside of the parking lot!
Concord Mills recently opened up an aquarium in the mall! It also has a go-kart track and mini golf outside! A great place for dad to go with the kids while mom shops all day!