The Copper Country Mall

1
The Copper Country Mall

• Jesse Campbell
• Natasha Chopp
• Steven Lewis
• Dan Morris
• Diana Sturos
• Andrew Wiltshire

2
Overview

• Define problem
• Research problem
• Generate alternatives
• Evaluate
• Implement
• Questions will be answered at the end of the
  presentation

3
Background

• Built in 1986
• Owned by Developers Diversified Reality
• Located at 47420 Highway M-26, Houghton
• Anchor Stores
• JC Penney
• Steve Barrys
• Dunham Sports
• Office Max

4
Information Collecting and Sorting

• Sources
• Internet
• Daily Mining Gazette
• Store Questionnaires
• Customer Surveys
• Interviews

5
Internet Sources

• Yahoo!
• Copper Country Mall website
• Developers Diversified Realty
• Mall Walkers Program
• Wikipedia

6
Store Questionnaires

• 2 out of 18 responded
• Hot Dogs More
• 10 loss in February
• 0 profit currently
• Complaints of lack in advertising
• High rent
• Country Cottage
• Complaints of lack in advertising

7
Customer Surveys

• 20 surveys handed out
• How often do you visit the Mall?
• 30 visit at least 2 times a month
• 45 visit once a month
• 25 visit a couple times a year
• What is your favorite store?
• 45 reported Dunhams
• 20 reported Maurices

8
Customer Surveys cont.

• What do you dislike most about the Mall?
• 85 reported a lack of stores/variety,
  specifically clothing stores
• What kinds of stores would you like to see?
• Brand-name clothing stores
• Improvement/Hardware Stores
• Why do you think the Mall is suffering?
• 55 reported the lack of stores
• 20 reported Wal-Mart

9
Interviews

• Davin Makela from Lahtis
• Were offered a spot in a strip mall for cheaper
  rent
• Angela Lucas from Portage Fitness Connection
• Mall Walkers Program
• Kevin Ericson
• Explained Malls position
• Plans for Mall
• New anchor store
• Rent policies
• Mall overhead expenses

10
Problem Definition

• The performance gap
• Actual performance
• Vacant places, and low customer base
• Desired performance
• Full occupancy, and higher customer base

11
Causes of problem

• Primary
• K-Mart closing
• Stores do not attract customers
• Stores do not offer all styles and sizes
• Low customer traffic
• High rent
• Wal-Mart
• Poor location

• Secondary
• Businesses closing
• Vacancies
• Out-of-town shopping
• On-line shopping

12
Effects of problem

• Businesses renting from strip malls
• Fewer clothing stores
• Some people are not aware of there being a mall
• Shopping elsewhere
• Businesses that do not attract a larger customer
  base are renting space in the Mall

13
Alternative Generation

• Creativity methods
• Brainstorming
• Nonverbal thinking
• Asking dumb questions
• Synectic approach
• Conceptual blocks
• Vertical thinking
• Stereotyping
• Compression

14
Subset Alternatives

• Advertisement
• College Demographics
• Signage
• Promotions
• Transportation
• Parking Lot Lights

15
Alternative Evaluation
16
Solution Implementation

• Research advertising techniques
• Meet with and inform store owners
• Ask for feedback on advertising ideas
• Meet with store managers to ask for
  feedback/evaluation
• Decide whether to continue advertising
• Full scale implementation

17
Success Measures

• Measure foot traffic in stores
• Before Implementation
• After Implementation
• Measure sales/profit
• Before Implementation
• After Implementation

18
Questions