Malls turn to concerts, food trucks to compete with online stores

Washington

MALLS are fighting for shoppers with one thing that their Web rivals cannot offer: parking lots.

With customer traffic sagging, US retail landlords are using their sprawling concrete lots to host events such as carnivals, concerts and food-truck festivals. They are aiming to lure visitors with experiences that cannot be replicated online - and then get them inside the properties to spend some money.