Need Advice-Malls!

Hey there darlings I was wondering if any of you have had any success with mall kiosks. My local mall contacted me and would like me to paint at a kiosk there. My mall is not the greatest, but it is the only one in a 30 mile radius. They want to charge me $500 a month and I can set my hours to whatever I want, and they want 15% of my profits if I make more than $3333 a month(yeah, right!). And when I am not there, my kiosk would be advertising for me. It seems too steep for me, and lately I only make 500-1000 a month, so makes me leary. But I am up for advice if any of you have experience with this!

I have friends that balloon twist at one of the local malls. All our malls here are outside so they don't work when it gets real cold but they don't get charged to be there. The mall considers them entertainment but no face painters because they won't let us set up shade. The Kiosk are the hardest for malls to keep full because it's usually seasonal or fly by night businesses that use them and $500 is too high for a Kiosk in a not so great mall.

Take it and RUN!!! Oh how I wish. Our mall is 1500 a month I think (during the holidays) and you have to have them staffed all the time, and they won't let me do it anyway, because of health regulations on the books here. I think if you have the time in your schedule and have other things to offer (henna?) it would be awesome. You could also sell gift certificates, etc.
So if it looks interesting to you, I say try it!

I don't do traditional henna, but I do glitter henna and glitter tattoos. Still on the fence!

AWESOME... can I take it?? lol. I paid $3000 for my October event. Still made REALLY good money. Split that $500 up to a daily rate and you have $38.00. Paint about 5 faces and you're in the clear. I would do it.

It sounds great to me too! I think you might actually get tired of painting you would paint so much!!!

They want to start me up in Jan, and that scares me a little too, Jan is usually a really slow month for shopping with christmas just behind. I would probably just work some weekend nights and days. AAAAAAaaaaaahhhhh! undecisive me!

January is a great time because everyone is on holiday with there children and they love to give their kiddies a treat on holidays..I suppose it does depend on your area..That is a really good rate, and being able to be there as much as you like..Advetising alone is awesome..Goodluck with you decision making.. I do understand how hard this can be.

I would do it. If you want to up your take home, get on the henna page here, and check out the Festival desings from Kim Brennen on FABA TV, she is on here too, and I am sure that she would help you figure out something, it really will up your appeal and give you a whole new line of people. Kim would tell you that you can use the skills you already have, you can turn a few minutes into a lot of money by adding henna to your face painting business. You can also order it in paste form from Amerikan body art...so with just a little learning curve, and a few bottles, you are in business...

Another thought...get some temptu ink and turn your glittler stencils into tattoos boys will want too...and you expand your appeal more. Price something kind of low...or put something on "special" every day and keep your chair full...do just a few tattoos...and a couple of face paints a day, and you are in the black..add in those days that you blow it out for a few hours, and you are really in the black. I would sell gift certificates for parties. Not bookings...future bookings. That worked great for me at my last craft show.

Thanks ladies! I have decided to do it! I am going to consider it an advertising cost, and if I make any money back that will be great! I am making little tutu's to sell there also, so I am pretty pumped! I'll let you know how it goes in March!

making tutu's for newborns, toddlers and big girls, looking for ways to make tiara's and hand mirrors to sell too!

SO cute! Good luck with everything

My local mall offered to let me set up for $750 for three weeks. $500 is a MUCH better price, and I would have been WAY more tempted to scrape together the money.
Good luck! I wanna hear how it goes.

Scgilland.....There are a couple of ppl (at least) doing local craft shows here that are selling hair bows made out of a flower top and/or ribbon and are selling for $3 each. Probably cost .25 each to make. You could probably find samples on Etsy. They had flowers, bows, wands, tiaras, tutus and Wings. Good luck! I completed and online form for my mall and they promptly called me back. However, felt sort of "blown off". How frustrating!