Do You Know What's Expensive?

We are so brilliant! We decided to put the franchise in a mall. We'll get all the customers that come to us as a specific destination, and also all the people passing by that didn't know they wanted our product. Yay! Also, no cost for putting in restrooms or furniture. Why doesn't everybody do this? It's so clever.

Oh, this is why - Mall space is RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE. And do you know what they say when you tell them that they are being ridiculous and that you will just go get a better deal at a different mall? They say, "Fine. There's five potential tenants lined up behind you. And good luck getting a spot as primo as the one we are offering you."

Then, after you get over the sticker shock for the price per square foot, you add on common area maintenance (tens of thousands), property taxes and promotional fees. Then you convince your child that they really do want to become an artist rather than go to university.

Of course, we knew that the mall space was going to be expensive, so we researched and asked questions and put the high end of our findings into the business plan. The landlord just game in well over what we had budgeted. And this mall doesn't even have a Kate Spade.

But there is a Nordstrom. Being from Dallas, I have been inclined to call Neiman Marcus the mother ship. With my new found love for Seattle, however, Nordstrom now holds that title. Plus, as far as department stores go, its just better. Where was I? Oh yea - mall space. Expensive.