Mall Haunts..

[Frightguy1]

What is everyones views on Haunts that are a part of a mall or shopping center.

•Pros vs Cons
• Have you been to one and if so what did you think?
• Are there any that are top notch?

What's your thoughts..open discussion.

Jay.

[Greg Chrise]

Cons....A majority of your haunt going demogaphic will not come anywhere near the mall as they have been suspected of shoplifting in the past.

[Spookyfinder]

Pro - There should be plenty of parking.

Con - You may be subjected to open hours that coincide with the malls hours. If you are open later than the mall, you may be required to pay mall security out of your pocket for the additional hours you are open. That is the info I got when I checked into doing a mall haunt a few years back.

[shawnc]

Read through J.B. Corn's info. He worked out of a mall for a while and notes the good and bad parts.

http://www.nightmarepark.com/JBCornCDPage.html

[Greg Chrise]

With all due resect....How things are percieved in and around a mall and how much the leases cost (relative to potential income) might have changed slightly since 1979 (Or worse yet, financial back peddling of the malls debts). Back then, the planet was not one endless mall. Malls would experiment with anything thought to drive customers to the spectacle.

It's kind of like the Genesis project in the Star Trek Movies, malls have been exponentially forming across the landscape but the original towns where the reaction began have deteriorated into plywood covered malls. The deterioration is going through an exponential process right now too. Especially now with so many national mall type retailers going bankrupt, just watch.

I don't know why but I love watching deterioration and destruction. It's more fun than traffic. It's not like all of this money being sucked out of every community was ever a good thing.

[Spookyfinder]

Frightworld is out of a mall and is, I think, one of the best haunts in the country!

http://www.hauntedbuffalo.com

-Tyler

[Frightguy1]

Frightworld..

Frightworld looks great, have you ever been? I've got mixed reviews on mall haunts and am just doing my research across all lines about spaces for lease for a first year business and a mall haunt was on the list however limitations to how late you can stay open are a definite concern.

J.

[DDJR]

Thanks Everyone for all the input . This year was My first year as a Haunter. It was very educational overall we had a good Year. My Idea was to put up my 3-d Haunt in a Particular Mall in my town just for the month of December. This particular Mall has a 20 Screen Movie Theather in it and a Large amount of Mall Rat
Traffic. Was Basiclly Banking on catching some of the 2-3 million people that frequent that mall during that Month. But was not sure if they would come inside my door or not does anyone know of anyone who has done this type of attraction during december or not ... I was also going to give it a slightly christmas theme you Know ravid raindear and evil elfes anymore input would be a great help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..............

[Jim Warfield]

Last I knew, the Rabid Reindeer and the Evil Elf were an "item", seen in public, making the dating scene!
What might their kids look like?
Another original Monster idea given away absolutely free!
Don't forget to have a framed picture of the happy couple from their wedding day.

[Spookyfinder]

Yes, I've been to Frightworld... a few times... and it's AMAZING to say the least! -Tyler

[brad]

Tyler, with my experience with dealing with mall management, I would say to try to stay away.

Sometimes they could say that they dont want you open any later than regular mall hours, or that you might have to hire either mall security, or an outside security firm.

Also, some malls might say that they dont want any customers walking through the actual mall after business hours- which means that you're limited to a space that has an outside entrance. Which will really naarow down the amount of places you could possibly rent out.

The mall in my area is pretty high priced for the market in my opinion. So you might end up spending a lot more for rent in a mall than for a similar sized location somewhere else.


Hopefully this helps you a little bit.

[Spookyfinder]

The only thing I can think of about working within the mall hours... it's INDOORS! Day or night... you can operate... just black out the place! But, I will say... with everything there are pros and cons I've seen events both in and out of a mall and both do well. -Tyler

[shawnc]

For what it's worth, the one mall in my poor little county charges $1800 a month for a 10X10 foot space for a kiosk out in the middle. I shudder to think what a real store would cost, and especially for a short term.

[Greg Chrise]

Yeah, inside the mall goes for $8,000 to $12,000 easily per month. Even on Main street a space twice the size might cost that much to rent.

In comparison here in Texas in town, a warehouse 8800 SF goes for $1800/mo or less if you lease it for the whole year. The comparison is, if you can make $18,000 you get to be set up all year vs 6 weeks at the mall up and down.

Every place is different and how quick people have dibbs on renting spaces as they come available is different by region. Ae we talking THE Mall or a strip mall?

One guy says to set up outside of the mall in tents and not to set up inside the mall. Another said he pulled off the entire event inside a mall for $10,000 and made $30,000. Others I have heard literally cry if they don't see more than 800 people per night. You really can not mandate how many customers will come to pay the rent. Sometimes no matter how much advertising or organic buzz you get it still isn't happening.

Also in a mall you have any number of janitors, maintenance workers and security guards reporting every minor scrape to the building, every unruly customer a haunt might bring that doesn't match the college girl demographic they really want. In a private building the land lord is not going to get in your way what so ever to make sure you are conducting the business to get the money.

[Greg Chrise]

Then there was that time a haunt got locked up and held as collateral, ultimately sold for $23,000 to pay the mall rent that had been agreed upon.