This study investigates the drivers of consumer visitation behaviour to physical shopping centres, as well as the moderating impact of customer experience in South Africa. The study explores a pressing issue in modern retail: how to keep brick and mortar shopping centres relevant in an increasingly digital and competitive environment. An inductive qualitative research design was used with ATLAS.ti 26 to thematise using the Morse and Field approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with nine participants who recently visited shopping centres. The results show that visitation was primarily motivated by convenience, tactility, trust and therapeutic value whilst atmospherics, customer service, hygiene and safety influenced the customer experience. This, in turn, affects behavioural consequences that include return visitations and participatory interactions. This study details the interplay between motivational factors, customer experience and behavioural consequences in the physical retail context. The findings of the study equip shopping centre management and retailers with valuable insight regarding experience enhancement that can sustain their competitive appeal in the changing retail landscape.