0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

Develop and Launch New Products and Services ● 139
She said there are about 69 carts in America’s biggest mall, which has
4.2 million square feet of space. Cart owners pay a premium for space at a
consumer wonderland like the Mall of America. Rent for a cart in a hightraffic
location can run $40,000 to $50,000 a year. That compares with rent
of about $96,000 a year for a 1,200 square foot “in-line” store.
“When someone is operating a cart, they are right in the middle of the
traffic,” said Taylor.
A walk through the mall reveals companies selling sunglasses, jewelry,
watches, and rubber bands in various shapes. “The sunglass guy has carts
in four locations here.”
Every year, about 40 million shoppers visit the mall. Tourists represent
40 percent of the traffic and spend an average of $162 per visit. Local hotels
run free shuttles to and from the mall, which is a major tourist attraction.
(Locals spend an average of $113, Taylor said.)
Smart retailers wait for years to get inside America’s biggest mall. It
is a major tourist attraction with an amusement park and Lego Land. Just
wear comfortable shoes and bring a fat wallet.