Specialty retailers are always front and center for mall shoppers, dotting common areas for all to see. Now landlords, too, are finding them increasingly hard to ignore. In the past five years, specialty tenant revenues and rents have doubled to $10 billion, according to trade publication Specialty Retail Report. Specialty tenants are generating sales growth with a variety of goods that cannot be found at in-line shops. Sports products and garden, yard and patio accessories are just a few of the categories enjoying boom times in the common area, sources say. Some of the offerings � such as aromatherapy and spa treatments, and beauty supplies and regimens � are nearly upscale. Here is a sampling of the hot new products and enduring concepts that stop mall browsers in their tracks. Island Ink Jet, Courtenay, British Columbia Products: Ink jet, laser and photo printing products and services No. of units: 100 in U.S., 150 in Canada Preferred locations: Shopping centers and college campuses Sales: Kiosks average between $200,000 and $300,000 per year Leasing contact: David Massie, senior vice president of business development, (877) 466-5538 Before the big-box boom, enclosed malls used to attract many computer users who needed to replenish their paper and ink cartridge supplies, says Armin Sasche, president. "We've brought those customers back into the mall."
Updated Recently