One part store, one part lab: Mall owner debuts BrandBox, a new way to fill vacant space

Retail landlord Macerich this weekend is launching a concept known as BrandBox, a place where young brands can have their own stores, at Tysons Corner Center in the Washington, D.C. area. Macerich says it will take BrandBox to other malls and will continue to roll out new locations, as retailers like Sears, Toys R Us, Mattress Firm and Claire's shut stores. Other malls in the U.S. are also experimenting with similar spaces that house online brands together on a rotating basis, giving those brands perks like inventory tracking technology and marketing.