Valley Fair Mall in Utah
What an eye opener. I have lived in West Valley, Utah pretty much all my life. I have lived in the Salt Lake Valley all my life, other then living in LA during the summer months from the age of 5 to 18. But I have always called West Valley me home.
This story is about the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley, Utah. After 20 years of doing business in and about West Valley. I have considered opening a store in the Valley Fair Mall on more then one occasion. This Christmas season I finally decided to open a kiosks at the Valley Fair Mall. What a mistake! First let me tell you how much they charge for a cart, $3,000.00 per month. That comes to $100.00 a day. Honestly that is not a bad price for a location that has lots of people. But the Valley Fair Mall does not come close to the amount of people to be charging that kind of price. It is my opinion that the Valley Fair Mall is ripping people/merchants off. Over the last 14 days that we have been open there we have not even averaged $200.00 a day in sales. Up to this point we have not even paid for the daily rate of the space. We have to stay open during Mall hours, which is about 12 hours a day. So if you include a wage into the cost. We need to bring in about $400.00 a day just to break even.
Note: after talking to other merchants at the Mall it seams that most are in the same boat.
Here is a little comparison. When I set up at Area 51 on fetish night we bring about 2 boxes of stuff and we normally sell over $300.00 a night. At the Valley Fair Mall we have five or six times the amount of stuff, we are open more hours. On top of that its Christmas time. One would only assume you would sell much, much more.
In the two weeks we have been there. I was almost in the middle of a fight between two groups of people (gangs? More then likely). There was the bomb threat that they had to evacuate part of the mall. Then yesterday Brad had his car stolen that was parked right in front of the Mall office, I mean right in front.
It was recovered today. It was found only about two blocks away, stripped of the stereo, speakers and the head lights. Not to mention the broken ignition. After talking to the police officer I was told that the Valley Fair Mall has about 2 cars stolen out of the parking lot every week.
I know the Valley Fair Mall is not the best mall in town, but I had no idea that it had gotten so bad. The Valley Fair Mall management itself seams not to be doing anything other then collecting rent from the merchants. I am surprised to find out they have no security cameras in place. You would think that with so much crime taking place in there Mall, that cameras would be one of the first steps in trying to stop or at least deter criminals. I also think that the Valley Fair Mall should be held partly responsible for the safety of Mall goers and there property. Knowing there is a problem and not doing anything about it, like taking reasonable steps in preventing the crime. I think that is a crime in itself, its only a matter of time that something really bad is going to happen and I hope they will be held accountable.
Another issue is advertising and atmosphere for the Mall. I am not sure that they have even done any advertising this year for the Christmas season, I have not seen any. There is very little Christmas atmosphere, very little. It seams to me that its just not a fun or safe place to shop.
To add to the poor situation. There are a few in-line stores that are not much more then Swap Meet vendors. These stores are a mess. Some of merchants have there small children running around in there stores and in the mall. When you try and walk thru these stores you have to dodge the toys, bikes and other stuff left in the isles from there children. Just not what you would think you would find in a Mall.
In conclusion. It is funny how I can be so blind of a situations that are right in front and all around me.
This story is about the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley, Utah. After 20 years of doing business in and about West Valley. I have considered opening a store in the Valley Fair Mall on more then one occasion. This Christmas season I finally decided to open a kiosks at the Valley Fair Mall. What a mistake! First let me tell you how much they charge for a cart, $3,000.00 per month. That comes to $100.00 a day. Honestly that is not a bad price for a location that has lots of people. But the Valley Fair Mall does not come close to the amount of people to be charging that kind of price. It is my opinion that the Valley Fair Mall is ripping people/merchants off. Over the last 14 days that we have been open there we have not even averaged $200.00 a day in sales. Up to this point we have not even paid for the daily rate of the space. We have to stay open during Mall hours, which is about 12 hours a day. So if you include a wage into the cost. We need to bring in about $400.00 a day just to break even.
Note: after talking to other merchants at the Mall it seams that most are in the same boat.
Here is a little comparison. When I set up at Area 51 on fetish night we bring about 2 boxes of stuff and we normally sell over $300.00 a night. At the Valley Fair Mall we have five or six times the amount of stuff, we are open more hours. On top of that its Christmas time. One would only assume you would sell much, much more.
In the two weeks we have been there. I was almost in the middle of a fight between two groups of people (gangs? More then likely). There was the bomb threat that they had to evacuate part of the mall. Then yesterday Brad had his car stolen that was parked right in front of the Mall office, I mean right in front.
It was recovered today. It was found only about two blocks away, stripped of the stereo, speakers and the head lights. Not to mention the broken ignition. After talking to the police officer I was told that the Valley Fair Mall has about 2 cars stolen out of the parking lot every week.
I know the Valley Fair Mall is not the best mall in town, but I had no idea that it had gotten so bad. The Valley Fair Mall management itself seams not to be doing anything other then collecting rent from the merchants. I am surprised to find out they have no security cameras in place. You would think that with so much crime taking place in there Mall, that cameras would be one of the first steps in trying to stop or at least deter criminals. I also think that the Valley Fair Mall should be held partly responsible for the safety of Mall goers and there property. Knowing there is a problem and not doing anything about it, like taking reasonable steps in preventing the crime. I think that is a crime in itself, its only a matter of time that something really bad is going to happen and I hope they will be held accountable.
Another issue is advertising and atmosphere for the Mall. I am not sure that they have even done any advertising this year for the Christmas season, I have not seen any. There is very little Christmas atmosphere, very little. It seams to me that its just not a fun or safe place to shop.
To add to the poor situation. There are a few in-line stores that are not much more then Swap Meet vendors. These stores are a mess. Some of merchants have there small children running around in there stores and in the mall. When you try and walk thru these stores you have to dodge the toys, bikes and other stuff left in the isles from there children. Just not what you would think you would find in a Mall.
In conclusion. It is funny how I can be so blind of a situations that are right in front and all around me.