Seasonal outlets go beyond the kiosks
They materialize in vacant storefronts with promises of holiday presents, and just as suddenly they become ghosts of Christmas past.
It’s becoming more common for seasonal businesses to shun the temporary-looking kiosks at the malls and opt instead for actual store space with a more permanent feel.
There’s even a name in the industry for this kind of setup: “temporary in-line stores.”
Not to worry — you can still find your calendar companies and sausage salespeople in the middle of the mall, where you’re used to seeing them.
But other businesses lend themselves more toward floor space in a store, even though the proprietors don’t plan to stick around very long.
Bob’s Western Wear moved into a vacant space at Foothills Mall in mid-October so the owner, Bob Judson, could be open for business by November.
For 12 years, Judson has traveled from rodeo to rodeo with a few music festivals thrown in, he said. He’s used to the temporary nature of his business.
He has set up seasonal stores at malls in the past, although this year is the first time he’s opened a place at Foothills Mall. His contract runs through the end of the year, and he’s negotiating to stay until the Tucson Rodeo in mid-February.
