Mall Of America's Makers Market

The separation of shopping from buying, at the hands of e-commerce has caused a tsunami of disruption throughout culture and commerce. At the same time, it has created opportunities for artisans and “maketailers” that couldn’t have been previously imagined. Beyond giving entrepreneurs access to markets through the likes of Etsy, and Shopify, nearly every major mall developer has launched some type of entrepreneurial ‘makers market’ offering short term leases, as well as guidance in store set-up, operations, and even marketing.

One such venue that received national exposure is Mall of America’s ‘local market’, initially called RAAS (Retail as a Service) and more recently renamed Fourpost; yah! The relaunched market opened in early November, and is the brainchild of Mark Ghermezian, whose family launched MOA, and own the West Edmonton Mall. An October 2018 press release describes the concept as a place “Where consumers and brands, ranging from local businesses and startups to established digital natives, can connect and build authentic relationships under one roof.”

Divide and Display

To accommodate its new tenant mix, the space was subdivided into multiple kiosk-like venues, (constructed of four posts) which include a modular display system that can be readily adapted to a broad range of products. The space is attractive and well lit, with nicely integrated signage, providing individual vendors identity, without becoming visually conflicting. This reimagining of a “local market” (the mall prefers not to call them pop-ups) give small, local craftspersons access to high volumes of consumers looking for unique gifts, and at the same time gives the developer an opportunity to fill vacant space and glean handsome returns in the process.

Vendors have a choice of selecting between three, six, and 12-month leases. It has been reported that on average they are spending about $3,200 per month to be there, not including their own labor. The concept has created a unique opportunity for indie retailers and craftspersons whose sole exposure was limited to an online website or third-party marketplace. And if you crunch the numbers, utilizing the Mall’s current list of 27 vendors, this amounts to about $1 million in annual rent for the space; not bad!

So how is it working? One gets mixed reviews talking to some of the shop owners. They love the exposure, but some feel their actual sales aren’t meeting expectations. Some believe the mall as not doing enough to support them. While I believe the concept is a very good one, as in all things retail, success is in the details; starting with the name.

Tell Me the Backstory, Posthaste

For starters, Fourpost, while it describes the construction of the ‘studio spaces’, does nothing to paint a picture, or speak to the essence of the experience. Add to that the visitor’s initial impression of a storefront filled with thousands of small blue plastic balls, making it look like a children’s play space; missed opportunity, both.

But my single biggest criticism, and largest missed opportunity is the lack of “storytelling” around the product and the “maketailers” featured. In an age of “authenticity” it’s the makers and their backstories that ought to differentiate this from most anything else in the mall.  Many of the vendors have a unique story to tell, that can create the kind of emotional bond that is the ‘glue’ of the experience; think Toms Shoes for example.

One such story was Still Kickin whose graphic T’s, hats, and other items “helps awesome people through awful things”. This is a non-profit that selects a different Still Kickin Hero every month and provides financial support. While the goods were cool, the story wasn’t obvious to a shopper. The mere addition of QR codes, linked to mall’s or maker’s website, would enable a customer to see and celebrate the backstory of these unique merchants. Additionally, consistent graphics or videos, telling the story of the merchants and their craft, would elevate the experience beyond a mere ‘crafts fair’ to something truly memorable.

The best example that illustrates this type of storytelling comes from the author of the term “maketailing”, that of Shinola Detroit. A key to that brand's authenticity and brand value is embodied in the stories of the many craftspersons' behind the brand, that are integrated into the store’s visual merchandising, on and offline. Those story’s become part of the brand’s mythology and are interwoven with the hand made products, produced in Detroit . A visit to their newest store in Minneapolis’s Galleria demonstrates the elegant and cost-effective manner they employ to humanize their brand and create a connection with the consumer.

I applaud MOA for bringing these local craftspersons into the mall and giving them a platform to share their wears and tell their stories. I believe some additional due diligence on the part of Fourpost’s developers could bring the concept to the next level and improve the overall experience for shoppers, while creating better outcomes for the vendors.

Sanford Stein is a retail trend forecaster, designer and speaker. He’s the founder of RETAIL SPEAK on LinkedIn, a contributor to Forbes.com, and the author of the 2015 IBPA Award winning RETAIL SCHMETAIL. @schmetail