If you spend enough time working with local businesses in Tucson, you start to realize something: the hardest step for many entrepreneurs isn’t starting the business—it’s finding a place where people can actually discover them.

That’s where the team at Park Place Mall in Tucson has been doing something special.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the mall’s leasing team—especially James McGee, who has become both a referral partner and someone I genuinely respect for the way he supports local entrepreneurs.

And lately, I’ve seen firsthand just how passionate he is about helping small businesses grow.

Creating Opportunities for Tucson Entrepreneurs

One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is visibility.

You might have an incredible product or service, but if customers don’t see you, it’s hard to scale.

That’s why I’ve been impressed with how the team at Park Place Mall regularly organizes pop-up markets inside the mall. These events give local vendors—many of whom are operating out of their homes or online—an opportunity to place their products directly in front of thousands of shoppers walking through the mall every week.

For many entrepreneurs, this becomes their first real retail experience.

They get to test:

  • How their products sell in a retail environment
  • What price points customers respond to
  • Which products attract the most attention
  • How to interact with customers face-to-face

It’s essentially a real-world business test lab—but with a steady stream of foot traffic.

The RMU Program: A Bridge to Retail Growth

Another program I love seeing small businesses take advantage of is the RMU (Retail Merchandising Unit) concept.

For those unfamiliar, RMUs are the mall kiosks or retail carts you see placed in high-traffic areas throughout the mall.

Instead of jumping straight into the expense of a full retail storefront, small businesses can start with an RMU to:

  • Build brand awareness
  • Test their retail model
  • Generate consistent mall traffic sales
  • Grow toward a permanent storefront

It’s a smart step-by-step growth model.

Start small.
Prove demand.
Scale up.

For many businesses, the path looks like this:

Home-based business → Pop-up market → RMU kiosk → Brick-and-mortar store.

That kind of pathway can make the difference between an idea staying small—or becoming a thriving retail brand.

A Leasing Partner Who Truly Supports Small Businesses

One of the reasons these programs are working so well is the approach taken by James McGee and the leasing team at Park Place Mall.

James has built a reputation for being approachable and flexible when it comes to helping local entrepreneurs take their first step into retail.

Many business owners assume mall space requires long-term commitments or large budgets. But that’s not always the case.

As James often tells entrepreneurs exploring opportunities at the mall:

“I work with people if they just want to do a pop-up or as long as two years.”

That flexibility gives small businesses room to experiment, grow, and scale at their own pace.

Whether someone wants to:

  • Test a product for a weekend pop-up
  • Participate in one of the mall’s vendor markets
  • Launch a kiosk through the RMU program
  • Or grow into a longer-term retail presence

there are options available depending on the business stage.

For entrepreneurs interested in learning more about opportunities at Park Place Mall, James has made himself accessible to the local business community.

Contact:
James McGee
📞 520-561-9722
📧 jmcgee@parkplacemall.com

If you’re a Tucson entrepreneur who has been thinking about taking your business beyond home sales, online orders, or weekend markets, reaching out to the leasing team could be the next step toward getting your products in front of thousands of shoppers every week.

This can help bridge the gap between side hustle and full retail operation.

Sometimes all a business needs is the right place and the right exposure.

Final Thought

Tucson has an incredible community of entrepreneurs, makers, and small business owners. Seeing spaces like Park Place Mall open doors for those businesses is something worth highlighting.

Because when local businesses grow, the entire community grows with them.

And that’s something always worth supporting.

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