What Would You Buy from a Shopping Center Vending Machine?
For the most part, I like to interact with people. There are definitely times, however, that your humble e-newsletter editor prefers to work with a machine. If I'm in a casino, I'll choose a “one-armed bandit” over a game of craps any day. I've grown accustomed to the self-checkout line at my local grocery store. There are automated / self-serve machines of all kinds at my local malls and airports (movie ticket purchasing, self-serve frozen yogurt, electronics, ATMs, etc). I learned recently that our local mall now has a Kosher food vending machine (kind of reminded me of the old Horn & Hardart Automat in NYC). After a quick Google search, this amusing Top 20 List of wacky vending machines came to my attention, and I wondered, what can't be sold via vending machine? If you could have anything available from a vending machine, what would it be? Tweet your answer to us @Dir_Major_Malls and use the #DreamVend hashtag, or send us your ideas via email.
Case Study: Making Suburban Cities and Shopping Centers Accessible
Ample parking versus mass transit options. Scattered populations versus dense residences. There are many challenges to new shopping centers. Recently, The Atlantic took a closer look at one example of an American town trying to reclaim itself as the “Town Square” for its population. Part of the “Transforming Tysons” process is the attempt to make the town square a walk-able destination, and to do that it must “assume a pedestrian character… incorporate retail space into residential buildings, lay more sidewalks and bike paths, and carve out a new street grid.” As described in The Atlantic article, Michael Caplin's vision for the future of Tysons Corner in Fairfax County, Virginia, is rooted in its past and its desire to adapt in order to succeed.
Amazon Puts Money Where Its Mouth Is – Buys Ads in Shopping Malls…stalls??
Remember when CBS' 60 Minutes breathlessly reported on Amazon's plan to ship packages via drone (sidebar: note the brief commercial for CBS in HD on Amazon's Kindle Fire that ran prior to the video)? Other media reports called their bluff). The online shopping behemoth also “announced” plans to open retail locations in several cities in the U.S. Turns out it was just office space in New York City. Now it's been reported that Amazon is targeting mall shoppers (#ironic) and encouraging them to shop online while they are at the mall! As part of a partnership with Proctor & Gamble, the ads are located in mall bathrooms and shoppers can use the app to buy – wait for it – bathroom necessities! Perhaps shopping centers can take a page out of Amazon's playbook and buy ads on its shipping boxes (“If you had gone to the mall, you'd have had this yesterday!”) or offer coupons inside Amazon shipments to encourage buyers to shop at their local stores.
Thanks for Visiting DMM's Booth at ICSC's 2014
NY National Conference & Deal Making Show
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the DMM booth (#1318) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center during the ICSC's 2014 NY National Conference & Deal Making Show, earlier this month. Hundreds came by to learn all about how DMM and ShoppingCenters.com have become the industry source for comprehensive and accurate retail data, featuring a comprehensive database / reliable reference tool. We're looking forward to a great 2015, and we wish you and your staff and families and fantastic New Year!
Spotlight Listing: Hooksett Commons, Hooksett, NH