By Russ Wiles | Arizona Republic
The next time you head to a mall — perhaps this weekend — notice how many people aren’t actually shopping.
They may be eating at a restaurant, going to a movie, working on a laptop, playing happy-hour trivia, practicing yoga in a common area, listening to a band or taking in a cooking class or beauty workshop.
Retailing has gotten a black eye lately with store closures by Sears, Toys R Us, Mattress Firm, JCPenney, Macy’s and others. Mall vacancies hit a seven-year high in the third quarter amid declining rents.
Some 7,000 stores in and outside shopping centers closed in 2017, a sharp increase from the prior year, according to a University of Arizona study released this month.
