Ep. 153: Casual, Fun + Trendy…Lulus Pop-Up at MOA

[00:00:00] Mall of America, it's home to world-class shopping, great dining, and amazing attractions and events. And these are our stories presented by Bloomington, Minnesota Travel and Tourism. Hello and welcome to So Much More. I am your host, Jill Renslow, for today's podcast. We are going to be talking about a brand new brand that has joined us, an exciting addition here at Mall of America. It is Lulu's, the beloved online fashion brand known for helping women look and feel their

[00:00:26] best for those great occasions, but also for casual fun times. So they opened their very first store here at Mall of America just recently, and we want to tell you all about it and get you excited because whether you just have a casual day that you're looking to dress up, maybe a little vacation or a wedding, we've got it in store for you. So joining me today is Patrick Buchanan. He is the SVP of brand marketing for Lulu's and our very own Maggie Bodeheimer.

[00:00:51] She is here as our account executive, newly promoted. We're super excited for Mall of America who helped bring this brand to Mall of America. So we're going to talk all the fun things. So sit back and enjoy because I want to get started with Patrick. Welcome to So Much More. It's so good to be here. Oh, he's our new best friend here at Mall of America. I am obsessed with the whole Mall of America team. I'm obsessed with the mall. I'm obsessed with Minneapolis. We'll make an office for you. I think he's going to move here. We love having you here.

[00:01:19] I heard about the winter and that is a bit of a problem. But the summertime, I feel like I could be here every summer. Well, you're in perfect time because it is beautiful here. And what a perfect time for Lulu's to be at Mall of America because I feel like every woman needs to go into the store and find their perfect fit because Lulu's is such a great brand. And when you bring this up to other women, they're like, I have this dress and this dress and this dress. Their closets are already

[00:01:45] filled with this brand. And now for them to be able to walk into the store and try it on right then and there, it is perfect. So talk to us about the story behind Lulu's. A lot of people know about the brand, but maybe not as much about the story behind the scenes. So share a little bit of that with us. Yeah. Well, Lulu's, we're celebrating our 30th anniversary this year, which was wild to believe. The brand was founded in 1997 in Chico, California. It was founded as a small boutique with the same

[00:02:12] mission to make women feel beautiful and special for all their life's moments. And today we have that same mission that we want to make sure that no matter what the event, and you mentioned several of them, that people can find the dresses that they're looking for to look and feel really, really beautiful. And I think seeing the brand evolve over the years from being a shop to going and being a DTC brand, and now being back at the Mall of America and having kind of this footprint in a different way, as well as being in Nordstrom and Dillard's and some of the other stores,

[00:02:41] it's amazing to kind of see the evolution of the brand. And I think it's exciting because there's so much love in what we do and going out into the world. And the reason I came to Lulu's is when I asked people, I said, do you know this brand Lulu's? And it's exactly what you said. So many people said, oh my gosh, I wore Lulu's for my prom. I wore it to my homecoming. I wore it to my wedding. And the joy that women have when they talk about the brand, I said, I want to be on that team. I want to be a part of that. And so that's what made me join the team. And I think

[00:03:11] that the rich history makes me excited to see what the next 30 years has in store. 30 years, that is crazy. But what is it? What is the secret sauce? Because I mean, so many brands have dresses, they have great options, but what is it about Lulu's dresses that are so special and that connect with women? You know, I think that what we see is word of mouth. Like a lot of women tell their friends and they have a great experience and they find that dress for that special event and then they

[00:03:37] spread the word. And, you know, we consider ourselves a customer first brand. And I think everything we do is really based on making sure that the customers get and feel as beautiful as they can. And I think that when you're a brand who focuses on making sure that the customer is served and feels really great, that as you evolve as a brand, you'll see that they come along with you and they stay really loyal. And so I think that the secret is one that I'm sure anyone who's a hard

[00:04:04] worker who's dedicated will know is that you have to do the work. And if you show up every single day and stay focused on the mission, the outcome is beautiful and you see it flourish and you see it really beautiful. So I think that it's no real secret other than we just show up every day and really just love what we do. And, you know, I'm reading the customer comments like someone did not have a good experience. How can we fix this? And I think that's what it seems to take. And I have

[00:04:31] the energy for it and excited to, you know, keep on trying to find ways to be able to please our customers. Well, a brand that listens really can make a difference because you're directly impacting, you know, what the consumer sentiment is, what their feedback is, and being able to make change with that is really, really important. And I'm curious, Maggie, you are the brainchild behind bringing this to Mall of America and really initiating this conversation. So why Lulu's for you? Yes. Well, I've been a big fan of Lulu's forever. So I bought my prom dress from Lulu's,

[00:05:01] one of my prom dresses from Lulu's years ago, back in 2018. And what I love about Lulu's, you know, not only the dresses are gorgeous, but it's also really affordable. So I remember some of my friends were buying prom dresses for $300, $400, $500. And I was like, that is way above my price range. Went on Lulu's and I bought a dress, I think around $80. And now we have an in-store, which is so nice because for me, I really like to try on my dresses. Dresses don't always fit always

[00:05:29] right, or you don't always know what style is going to fit the right way. So I love that it's now in person. I get to try on all the clothes. I've been already buying way too many dresses. You should just see how many bags. Every day I see Maggie with a bag in hand. No, but it's perfect because I have wedding season coming up. I'm planning my wedding this September. So I have bachelorettes and bridal showers and just all these occasions that I need to buy dresses. Now I'm having some of my bridesmaids buy from Lulu's. So it's actually perfect timing for me. So it was a very convenient for her life to break.

[00:05:59] Yeah, that's right. It was a personal directive. I get it. Thank you, Maggie. Yes, we call it retail therapy. It's all okay when we work here and we shop and have fun. Yeah, but we originally, I reached out to you because we were looking for more prom offerings for the mall. And it just turned out, I think we reached out, I reached out last year and took some time to get it going, but now we have it open just in time for wedding guest shopping. My mom bought her mother of the bride dress there. For any summer occasions, we have more

[00:06:27] casual dresses. There's handbags, jewelry. There's so much. Yeah. So you'll have to check it out. And the whole process, I think, to this point has just been so phenomenal. I think that last night we had an event here and I got to meet more of the team. And just the whole Mall of America team has just been so incredible in bringing this together. And Maggie, the fact that you had this vision last night when I was looking at it all come together, it just felt like this kind of divine moment in the sense that I was like, wow, like we started. And

[00:06:53] this is what I love about marketing is that you have an idea and it starts on a piece of paper or it starts with an email and to watch it come to life and to see it again. Like we had a flat, what our flower activation. So I keep saying blooming and flourishing because I'm in the mood with flowers, but to watch last night, it just, I went home and I was just smiling. I said, I would smile for three hours straight because I was just so happy. That makes me happy. And I think when we have an idea and there's this electricity within our

[00:07:22] team, when we know we're onto something and start talking with your networks about the brand and what's possible. And literally I had a few friends that I talked to and they're just like, oh, that brand, like I've bought so many of those dresses online, but they're like, I usually buy a couple of sizes in each of the designs and everything else. Like now we can come in store and try them on directly and be able to purchase exactly what we want versus having to purchase and return. And I think we're all in that space with the online world. So we're thrilled to have the brick and mortar store. And

[00:07:51] with the 30th anniversary, great timing to be celebrating here at Mall of America. So would you say, what would you hope to learn from this pop-up, Frank? So we're hopeful that you're going to stick around a little longer, but this is a pop-up for the summer season to celebrate your anniversary, to get people ready for homecoming. But talk a little bit about just what you're hoping to learn and get out of this. You know, I think that already we've learned so much and I think that we've been in really

[00:08:19] close communication. I know every week we have a call where we're downloaded on what happened last week. And I know in last week's call, it was like 60% of people are new in the store and maybe 30%, 40% of people have already heard of the brand. So I think that learning how many people previously knew the brand or how many people that we're kind of converting knew, I think that's been really interesting. I think watching the trends that people are really interested in and also seeing

[00:08:44] the difference between how people shop in a brick and mortar store versus online, I think is really interesting. So every day I feel like we're learning so many different things that help us program this particular pop-up, but it helps also for us to better understand how we would do more things like this beyond. So outside of Mall of America or in other regions and territories. And so I think there's a lot to learn and I think I'm excited because I'm here for another day. And one of the

[00:09:10] things that I have on my list today is just to sit in the mall and just people watch, like just to see the style and to see what people are shopping for. And, you know, the mall brings in so many different kinds of people. Like walking through the mall, I felt like I was in Times Square or something like that because it was so many different kinds of people and you could see so many different walks of life. And I think that really makes me just interested to see kind of like what every single pocket or group is thinking, wanting, experiencing, and even the people who are on the team with,

[00:09:39] some of your team members have daughters that are working at the store. And so I think we're going to have so much feedback coming from it. And so, yeah, I think that's something that I'm bubbling up to my leadership team every week. And I know that it's been a big success so far because, you know, when I'm getting calls from our CEO, Crystal Lansom is saying, what's going on at the store? And so, you know, it's really intriguing everyone on the entire team, including our CEO, who's a really big fan of this initiative.

[00:10:07] That is great. Well, during the summer here at Mall of America, it's really unique because we do get a lot of our local shoppers here to enjoy the festivities during the summer months, but we also get a lot of drive market families that come and enjoy their summer vacations with us. And as school right now comes to a close, they're really getting on the road and coming to visit us. So you're hopefully going to get a chance to interact with folks from across the country here. You're already seeing a lot of school groups. Yeah, we saw a lot of pictures happening. And then I think it's just so unique because

[00:10:37] you don't come to a mall often and there is an amusement park in the middle of the mall. So to juxtapose seeing some of your favorite shops to hearing somebody screaming like, ah, on a ride. So did you get a chance yet to go on the ride? I have not ridden a ride yet. I think we're going to ride one after this to celebrate surviving. You can join us if you want. You have to when you're here. I mean, it feels like a requirement. It is a unique opportunity. So I definitely am going to do that. But this is just such a unique, magical place.

[00:11:02] And I mean, outside of even the mall, you know, like the train from the airport to here was so easy. It's so convenient that you're talking about the train that's inside. Oh no, have you seen the train inside the mall? I haven't seen the train inside the mall. We'll show you. Just the whole process of getting from the airport to getting to the mall and then everything around here. I mean, my dinner last night was glorious. I took a walk by the lake this morning. And so I think just experiencing, I can see why people come from wherever to come experience Minneapolis more generally,

[00:11:31] but also would come to the mall because there's so much really incredible things to see here. I would love your advice or insights for other brands listening or watching that might be thinking about, you know, playing the space a little bit with a pop-up. And what is that hurdle to get over to trust the opportunity to explore, discover, and test drive what this could be like, especially with the direct-to-consumer brands that would like to test out that space a little bit?

[00:11:59] What was it that kind of pushed you over that mark where you said, let's give this a shot? To me, I think being in person and interacting with people, there's just something that is so magical about it that I think that watching your brand pop up and come to life in a different way. So I like seeing things kind of reimagined. And so when I walked in the store yesterday, and I probably said this to anyone who would listen,

[00:12:25] I was like, this is just so incredible because watching the layout and how it's merchandise around the store, just to see how it came to life in a different way than I've even seen the brand that I've worked for for three years, it just gives me so many different ideas. And so I think that from all the lessons you learn, what we just talked about, to seeing your brand in a different way, I think that's really cool. And then meeting customers and being able to talk to them and to see, I think those are the things that make me feel like it's such a good move.

[00:12:52] And to me, it feels like a no-brainer. It's like you come to a place like Mall of America and you see all the shops that they're like from Nordstrom to Skims to Aritzia and all the stores that you have in the, like, right beside, it's like, those are the brands that, you know, are very popular and their customers and consumers are shopping. And to be able to see them right next to you, I think it's like, this is a perfect place. I mean, there's not many places that you can go and have such a wide variety of stores within them all.

[00:13:21] So I think when you get an opportunity like this, you just don't turn it down. So I think a big part of what I find is understanding what opportunities make sense for your brand. And so I hear, I get a lot of things pitched at me at any given day. And so I think I have to kind of like sift through what feels like the right next move. And I think when I read your email, it just felt right from the very beginning. Like, it was like, I looked at it and I was like this. And there's, and I get so many messages, but I think that like the fact that that broke through for me,

[00:13:50] I think that's one of the things that really made me know that it was meant to be. Well done, Maggie. You did it, Maggie. I was going to say, I think a lot of people are wanting those in real life experiences too. I mean, myself, I love, I love shopping online at Lulu's, but to have it in person for me, I know I might be biased because I work at the mall, but it's just so nice to have those moments. Yesterday we had an event and, you know, it wasn't just about buying the clothes. It's about, you know, talking to all the people and doing some of these fun activations. We had a floral bar.

[00:14:19] So we just want to continue doing things like that. And people get to meet the faces behind the brand. I think that both the Mall of America team and the Lulu's team, like we had several members of our team here and for people to meet us, I think it's like a different level of closeness that people feel when they say, wow, like you're not just this invisible thing. You are a person. And I find that when we do these events, whether we're in Chicago or Atlanta or San Diego or LA or New York, every time we do an event where we're actually able to meet our customers,

[00:14:49] I see the connection happening. It's like you can feel the magic happening. And so I think if nothing else, just to be able to meet your customers and to not take them for granted, because I think that's one of the things that we talked about is how many competitors there are. And the way you keep your customers loyal is to kind of be caring enough to want to meet them where they are, to talk to them, to hear from them. And that's one of the things that I feel like I have been trying to really soak up as a part of this experience. Absolutely.

[00:15:19] So for those that are going to come visit this summer, what should they expect when they walk in your store? You mentioned outside of Nordstrom Level 1, also right around the corner from Altered State by the Sweet Paris Cafe. So what would they expect when they walk through your doors? Oh my gosh. You can expect to see some of the most gorgeous dresses you've seen at an affordable price to your point. And I think we have such a wide variety. So it's like if you're looking for something that's more casual because you're going to the lake this weekend, you can get that.

[00:15:49] One of the trends we're seeing, I know, is around a lot of brides having several different looks within their wedding. And so whether it's- Get ready, Maggie. Yeah, Maggie. Start snagging up more. Maggie, you're the prime example. It takes a lot of looks. And I mean, especially with social these days, you know, you really have to kind of like make a statement. In every event, you want a different look. And so you don't want to break the bank in order to do that.

[00:16:12] So I think with Lulu's, you can come in and you can have that second look after the big moment that happens and all the engagement parties. And there's so many different things that you need to get dressed for. So we have all those kind of looks. And also, if you wanted to just go to a date night and look really pretty, I still want to normalize just getting dressed up and looking your best just on a normal day. I think so many people are like, well, I have to wait for a special occasion. You do not have to wait for a special occasion to get dressed up and look your best. You have to dress for the job or the life that you want.

[00:16:41] And so many people dress down or are so casual or maybe still have that pandemic brain where it's like, let me throw on my sweats. But I think that there is something to like getting dressed up and to feel your best and to look your best and to step out into the world. And really, I think that's what I'm seeing a lot. Like the Lulu's customer, she really, really likes to like be buttoned up and feel really beautiful. It is about feeling good. And I completely agree with you. The pandemic shifted everybody's styles to so casual, which it was.

[00:17:11] I mean, we were all stuck at home and things like that. But I love, I feel like there is this resurgence of people dressing up for work again, dressing up to go out and just, you know, go shopping, go out to dinner. And I love that because when you look good, you feel good. And that's what's important. You want people to feel good about themselves. And it makes my eyes smile too when I see people who gave it a little bit of effort. Like, I mean, there's nothing. I think when you meet so many people, especially like if you're, you know, I'm always interviewing new team members or just, it's like,

[00:17:40] it does make a difference when you want to make an impression on someone. And I think the idea that you don't have to make an impression anymore, I don't believe that that's true. And so I think that when I'm talking to young people, especially who are graduating from college or, you know, getting their first job, it's like, you know, I understand that maybe we went through this period of time where being casual was something that we could do. But, you know, you have to have pride in the way you look and you have to step out looking your best and, you know, putting a little effort. And you don't have to spend all the money you made in order to do it.

[00:18:09] And so there's brands like Lulu's and there's so many other brands in the mall that you can go and just like put that. Like, spend some more money, go to Lulu's. So talk a little bit about trends. What are some of the best selling categories? What are those must haves that late or even colors that you're seeing this season that we should all keep our eyes out for? The color that we're seeing really, really pop off is this butter yellow color. My bridesmaid, my bridesmaid color. I know a little bit into the end of last year we were seeing it.

[00:18:39] And then I think we're still seeing it so strong this year. And so I know that one of the things that we're looking to do with the assortment that we have here at the Mall of America is to make sure that we bring in some more of that color because we know it's really trending. I mentioned that, you know, having several different looks and being able to kind of like make those quick changes. So if you want to give it the Taylor Swift style as if you're on tour where it's like you can change for every different act, you know, you can be able to do that. So I think that's one of the trends is that it's the drama.

[00:19:04] It's like I think it's like when we get one chance to do this thing called life and at the end of the day it's like let's give it some drama. And so I think what we're seeing is people like really leaning in and creating different looks because, you know, we have to make the tick tock and we have to do the first dance. And there's so many different things that we have to do. So I think that just being able to have a different look for every single one, that's something that we're seeing quite a bit as well. Yeah. Well, for me, when I'm looking for dresses and things, I want something that's simple.

[00:19:32] I don't want to have to get new undergarments for dresses that have cuts that, you know, are exposing whether it's straps or whatever else. So I feel like you guys have a lot of options, too, that are really accommodating to basic strap lists or whatever that might be. So you don't have – you have other options as well. But would you say that that's also something that shoppers are looking for or is that just a Jill thing? I think so. For sure. For sure. Yeah, I definitely think that people are looking for that.

[00:19:57] I think that when we look at, like, all the different – whether it be the different slits, the different strap options, or even making little simple things feel a little bit more stylized. Like, I know we do a lot of – we see a lot of asymmetry in the types of the way it's like it might have a little bit of a slant, but it still fits, you know, in a traditional way. So I feel like, yeah, like, I think that we want to keep it interesting but also simple at the same time. So it's like you can feel like you're given a little bit of pizzazz without having to do too much. Absolutely.

[00:20:27] I'm also all about comfort. And Lulu's – every dress I've put on is so comfortable. Like, I could just wear it all the time. Thank you. Yeah. And what's great, too, about the store is, you know, we're taking feedback from our customers, and we're already noticing trends in what selling and, you know, what we need more stock of, but also what new styles can we bring in. So if you've already come into the store, maybe come back and check it out because we're not just going to have the same styles forever. Oh, yeah.

[00:20:50] We were just talking about that last night, that, like, every two weeks you guys are going to have new shipments coming in, which we love because it keeps the store fresh. It keeps people coming back because you never know what's a new style, especially if we've sold out of your size. Like, keep coming back because you guys are replenishing every two weeks. We are. We're on the phone. We have our little Monday touch base, and we talk about what sells, and then we, you know, bring more of the favorites back and then also try to find new ways to be able to keep people interested and excited.

[00:21:19] And we also have sizes extra, extra small to 2XL. So it's great wide variety. Great point. So let's just touch a little bit on kind of the evolution of retail. We like to try to touch base with this podcast on just the changes that are happening, whether it's consumer expectations changing, brands evolution, what that looks like, and how it's changed from years ago to where we're going. So talk a little bit about where Lulu's is seeing things at today and where it's heading into the future. Yeah.

[00:21:49] You know, I just recently wrote an article for Digital Summit, and I got the fun task to invite five people to my dream lunch, power lunch. And one of the things I invited was not a person, but it was more of an idea, and it was the idea of AI. And I think that's something is where we're seeing a lot of people utilize AI and find ways to be able to do things quicker and faster.

[00:22:12] And, you know, that is something that I'm hearing a lot of back and forth on if it's good or if it's bad, but it's here, right? And so I think it's like finding a way to be able to, like, utilize it in a way that makes sense. But also I think what I'm seeing is that customers are wanting something that feels real.

[00:22:29] So because AI can create things in a second and make things look so perfect and almost unrealistic in certain ways, one of the trends that I think that I'm seeing from a brand standpoint is, like, how can we show up and give people things that feel like it's something that they can touch and that is real? And so I think that that's been kind of exciting part of this evolution because I think that one of the things that people are afraid of is kind of AI taking over everything.

[00:22:55] And it gives a different level of creativity that now we get to kind of think it's like being messy or, you know, not having the perfect desk or not having the perfect… I just showed him my desk. I walked past your desk. It wasn't that. And the picture of you at the Mall of America when you were a kid. We're like eight, yeah. Yeah, I'm like, and to see you working here now isn't insane to me. It's great.

[00:23:20] But yeah, I do think that that's something that, you know, we're looking at is like, how can we, you know, utilize a tool that can help power it but not necessarily get rid of the creativity? And we don't, you know, we don't want our customers to feel like they're looking at something that's not real. Yeah, it's a really important conversation because we've been talking about it a lot as a brand because we are very authentic and genuine and real.

[00:23:44] And we are the physical space and we don't want to lose the trust with our customer of putting things out there that are generated through AI. Because it's like, where do you use it to find efficiencies within the organization and also improve the guest experience? But you don't want to lose that authenticity, which is super important. The number one thing that we always hear is that people want to see what the dresses look like on their body type and on different kind of people.

[00:24:09] And so I think that like working with influencers and ambassadors and a lot of them came to the event last night, you know, and they're so excited to be a part of the brand. So I think that it's like to try to remove that and to do it with, you know, and not have real people do it. It feels like it would be a big fail on our part in the sense that there is so much energy exchanged and loyalty that's created when you're working with something that's so real. And so, yeah, I think it's just interesting. So it's like I haven't quite landed on, you know, where like exactly.

[00:24:38] I feel like the part of the article that I was writing, it was like, we don't know exactly where this thing is going to go. But it is here. But just trying to figure out how do we in real time have a conversation about it and talk about it and make sure that we're using it in a responsible way. Yeah, very cool. Okay, let's shift into a little fun rapid fire. Maggie, feel free to play along if you'd like to. Oh, okay. Okay, so we're just going to roll through a couple of these. So most underrated fashion item every woman should own. Just whatever comes to mind.

[00:25:08] You know what I'm loving right now so much is that we just did a Devil Wears product collection, 14-piece capsule collection. And a lot of the pieces in the collection have this scarf detail. And it just makes me like, I don't know, it's just so extra and dramatic. And it gives that extra flair.

[00:25:30] And so that's something that every time I see it, I just think, wow, if you really want to stand out for one of those formal events, I think that's one of the things that would really make you do that. Yes, I was at an event last night and it was so cute. This woman wore this great maxi dress and put a scarf but didn't have it wrapped. It was kind of open and she tied it around, but it was a complimentary pattern. It wasn't just a color. It was so cute. But yes, scarves are definitely- It really takes it to the next level.

[00:25:58] And it'll take something that feels really simple and kind of make it feel like more is going on than actually is there. Absolutely. Anything that you can think of? I don't know. You can say pass. Okay, I'll pass. I have more questions for you. So, okay. Wedding guest dress or vacation dress? Wedding guest dress. Oh, I'm going to go vacation. I feel like because I'm in vacation season, I'm ready to take a trip somewhere that I'm going to say vacation. I love it. Okay, one fashion trend you hope never comes back.

[00:26:26] You haven't been around long enough to have something like this full circle. You're too young. Anything that you guys can think of? You know what? The super like low, low rise jeans. Oh, yes. So uncomfortable. Yeah, I'm like I don't know if I need that. I don't know if I love ripped jeans either. I could agree. Like I saw some ripped jeans yesterday and like they start – and I feel like they're starting to get ripped higher and higher. Oh, yeah. Like a huge piece of your leg is like – I could say that. Yeah. I would agree with that.

[00:26:55] Okay, one trend you're loving right now. Different than the scarf. I'm going to say denim on denim. Denim. Yeah. Yeah. I love a Canadian – I love that. Canadian tuxedo is that what it's called? Yeah. One trend that I'm loving now – I don't – I mean I'm trying to think. I think that – and this is me more personally. I am focused more on like creating more of a uniform where it's like trying to create things that really bring my personality to life.

[00:27:24] So it's like trying to dress for yourself and to bring – it's not necessarily following every trend that is happening. Or if you're incorporating it, incorporating it in a way that feels more authentic to you. And so I think that's something that I think is more important as I get older is to find those pieces that feel like they're uniquely me. Love it. Love it. Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest? Oh, wow. Well, I just got off of Instagram for – I took an Instagram break, so I'm going to go Pinterest.

[00:27:52] I really have been – I mean, and I know you're wedding planning, so I'm sure Pinterest has been a huge fan for you. But I love finding inspiration, and I think Pinterest is a great place to do it. I would agree. And TikTok. I feel like I can find all the hacks on TikTok. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. TikTok. So many ideas. You type in favorite restaurants, and I love seeing it. Yeah. I would agree. Love it. Online shopping or in-store shopping? Both. I figured that was coming. I'm going to say in-store because I like to try things on. Yeah.

[00:28:21] Hopefully, after this run at Mall of America with your pop-up, you're going to have a defined choice. I can change. Well, I can change. But I honestly do like – I do like both. I think that – In Minnesota, it's in-store because it's no tax. Well, I mean, I can't wait to go down. I'm going to – I'm prepared to go shopping today. We are happy to do it. Today, it's going to be in-store shopping because that's what I'm going to do. You need to delay your flight even longer to do more shopping. Okay. Hmm. Yeah.

[00:28:50] I don't know if this is, like, fun, but I think Apple is a brand that just helps power my life. Like, I think that from all of the tools on the phone – and I know this is, like, whether it be reminders or the calendars or the way all the technology kind of works together. I have just – over the last two decades, I was like, wow, like, I really feel like my iPhone has really helped me in so many different ways power my life and my career.

[00:29:17] So that's a brand that I'm always interested in and excited to – I think I'm going to go the opposite route and say Trader Joe's because I just love food. And I love Trader Joe's. Oh, my gosh. You know, just like a store that you walk in and it just makes you happy. Oh, my gosh. I love that. Okay, last one. One word to describe the future of retail. Mm-hmm. Oh. Fast. Like, it's evolving so fast. Or in person, I should say.

[00:29:47] Yeah, experiential, I would say. I feel like I think that I'm seeing this merge of creating experiences within stores that feel almost like – I mean, I think, I guess, is almost what the Mall of America does is, like, it brings that experience and the store into one place. And I think that a lot of people are trying to find ways to be able to capture that. I love it. Well, you guys, that brings us to the end of the podcast. Is it over already? Believe it or not, I told you it goes super fast. So, Patrick, thank you. Maggie, thank you for joining again.

[00:30:15] And thank you for all of you for tuning in to so much more. Hopefully, you enjoyed today's conversation. I'm inspired to go shopping. I know I want to load up my closet with lots of beautiful dresses. So, come and check out Lulu's here now at Mall of America right outside Nordstrom Level 1. You will not be disappointed. You're going to love it. And hopefully, you'll come back multiple times this summer. And hopefully, we can drive up those sales so that they never leave because we would love to keep them here. I don't want to go. Thank you, everyone. Have a fabulous summer. Continue to enjoy everything we have to offer at Mall of America.

[00:30:44] Please be sure to rate us, like us, and share us with your friends and family. We appreciate you. So, that's it for us today on So Much More. Thanks for listening to So Much More, a Mall of America podcast. Subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcasts. This show is presented by Bloomington, Minnesota Travel and Tourism.