Sunday, March 09, 2008
More kiosks at Valley View
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
Valley View Mall is making strides to expand a key part of its retail business -- kiosks.
From sunglasses to unique handbags, jewelry and lotion products, at least 20 kiosks showcase wide assortments of products throughout the Roanoke shopping center's food court area and down the center of a lower-level hallway. During the holiday season, as many as 27 kiosks claim space at the mall.
Valley View is making way for more of them.
Construction is under way to widen two upper-level walkways at the mall to create space for additional carts. The 12- to 15-foot-wide walkways situated near Lady Foot Locker and near an elevator in a center court area will be expanded an additional 19 feet each, said Kendall Hurt, assistant general manager at Valley View.
The goal is to fit at least three kiosks at each expanded walkway, she said, depending on the size of the carts. The mall doesn't want the space to be too crowded.
"We want it to be open and breezy," Hurt said.
Nationally, specialty retail kiosks bring significant business to shopping centers, accounting for about 10 percent of a mall's annual revenue, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.
The owners of kiosks often contribute a percentage of their sales to the shopping centers, and they also pay rent.
At Valley View, a kiosk owner contributes a percentage of its sales to the mall if it reaches a pre-determined amount, said Chris Perna, who owns Silver Moon, a jewelry cart there.
These kinds of specialty retailers generate $12 billion in sales and rent each year nationally, according to publisher Patricia Norins of Specialty Retail Report, a trade publication in Hanover, Mass.
In some larger markets, chain retailers -- such as Macy's, Belk and Starbucks -- increasingly are leasing kiosk spaces to introduce and sell new products, especially during the holiday season.
"It's a very successful program for Valley View," Hurt said. "We've been so limited because of the space [on the upper level] or lack thereof."
Perna and another kiosk owner, Leigh Ann Covington of It's Bijoux, said Valley View's upstairs kiosks likely will be as coveted for visibility and traffic as the downstairs areas. The walkway construction is expected to be complete in April, Hurt said.
"Everyone who walks down here, walks up there," Perna said, referring to the two mall levels.
Still, just because kiosks are situated in front of shoppers doesn't mean they always draw large business.
Covington said she's noticed a drop-off in traffic and sales lately, a pattern that she blames on economic strains that have affected discretionary spending. She sells jewelry, handbags and accessories, mostly for $10 each. Ear piercing is free with the purchase of earrings.
"They're choosing from a $10 purse or a gallon of milk," Covington said.
Rejuvenation Specialists Plaza 101 Salon and Spa
A Roanoke-area nail technician has moved out on her own.
Robin Joyce opened Rejuvenation Specialists Plaza 101 Salon and Spa in January, inside a former office building beside Kabuki, a Japanese steak house in Roanoke.
Joyce, who has worked in the area for 10 years as a nail technician, created a business where a group of independent contractors offers massages, hair care services, waxing, pedicures, manicures and facials.
Joyce is leasing the building from Akio Koeda, who owns Kabuki.
Black Umbrella Co.
An idea to create and sell car calendars mushroomed into a photography, graphics and Web page design enterprise.
Mike Davis and Terrence Palmer opened Black Umbrella Co. two years ago on Shenandoah Avenue. In February, they moved it to the Roanoke Salem Business Center on Melrose Avenue.
Inside their shop, they perform a variety of tasks. Under the company's umbrella, they offer different kinds of photography, from events to commercial photos and family portraits, along with some design services. The company also manages a local band, called the Black Umbrella band.
News from this week's Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/storefront/
Horizon Bar & Grill will open Tuesday in downtown Roanoke.
Local Walgreens stores are getting redbox DVD rental kiosks.
Panera Bread is rolling out new breakfast sandwiches.
