Sheppard Centre aimed to include everyone in its Valentine’s Day promotion, “Follow Your Heart to Sheppard Centre”.

On Valentine’s Day, Mall of America’s Rotunda was host to 92 simultaneous weddings. The mass ceremony was conducted by a county district court judge, and broadcast live on a co-sponsoring radio show. All 92 couples were flown (together) on a honeymoon trip to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Although Fox River Mall was enjoying sales increases, the fine jewelry category ranked well below other merchandise areas in market share. An innovative telemarketing campaign titled “A Gift of Jewelry? Bright Idea!” was created to increase jewelry sales two weeks prior to Valentine’s Day. The mall’s jewelry merchants exceeded the previous year’s sales by 11 percent.

Speculation over new taxes on the rich contributed to a first-quarter sales slump at Cary Towne Center, in the affluent city of Cary, North Carolina. The solution was “Instant Tax Refund,” a gift-with-purchase program that focused on the benefits of using mall gift certificates as the premium for the promotion.

Mall Del Norte hosted a four-day “Shoe Trade-In Sale” during the 1992 back-to-school season. Shoppers could exchange used shoes for $5 towards the purchase of a new pair; the used pairs were then donated to the Salvation Army. The promotion produced an 1,120% return on investment, and compared to the year prior, sales increased 43%.

When the California Restaurant Association approached Broadway Plaza about hosting the Third Annual Bay Area Restaurant Olympics, Marketing Director Kaycee McKenzie saw the potential for increasing the center’s community goodwill. The association and corporate sponsors picked up most of the costs, and around 4,000 people attended the event.

Layton Hills Mall incorporated non-traditional Santas into its holiday set. Five Santas—traditional, frontier, Victorian, Old World, and Father Christmas—alternated daily from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Shoppers were receptive: photo sales increased 26 percent over the prior year.

Hansen Planetarium set up an exhibit at ZCMI Center during National Space Week. For spending $50 in the center, shoppers could receive a ticket as a gift-with-purchase. Mall traffic was up, and the Planetarium achieved increased public awareness.

Recognizing that much of its trade area is of Chinese descent, Markville Shopping Centre tied its January sidewalk sale into the Chinese New Year. A six-foot red rooster was set up in center court; shoppers over 18 could pluck a feather for a chance to win a $10 or $50 mall gift certificate. All pluckers received a fortune cookie and a ballot to win a $500 shopping spree. January sales were up 25 percent from the previous year.

Hampton Towne Centre celebrated its 17-year anniversary by unveiling its new branding and hosting a Home Show. Richard Karn (“Al”) and Pamela Anderson (“Lisa”) of TV’s Home Improvement made appearances and signed autographs.