Little kiosks big business for U.S. shopping malls

By Steve Quinn

FRISCO, Texas — They are one of the most lucrative sectors in the retail industry, generating billions of dollars in sales, and arguably are the most underpublicized: the kiosks and carts that dot the aisles of big shopping malls, selling everything from candles to computers. These free-standing merchants are tremendously popular — Tillie Martinez says she sometimes has customers lining up 10 and 12 deep to buy her personalized Christmas ornaments at Stonebriar Centre mall north of Dallas. And while she sells just a few months a year, she has a loyal following. "The fun part is getting the repeat business from someone who last year bought something for their baby's first Christmas," she said. Carts and kiosks are a thriving industry, bringing in an estimated $10 billion in annual sales for the merchants and landlords, more than triple that of 10 years ago, industry analysts said.

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