Three local retailers are taking the big step of occupying permanent space at Mayfair Mall this month, just in time for the busy holiday season.
The Puzzle World, Egyptian International Art and Viktor-Viktoria stores opened in the first week of November at the Wauwatosa mall.
Roger Hoffmann started the Puzzle World retail concept in 2000 with temporary store space at East Towne Mall in Madison.
"The response to the idea was so overwhelming, that I kept it going," said Hoffmann, who used some capital investment from "a cousin and her husband" to open temporary space at Mayfair.
Hoffmann then signed a three-year lease for 2,500 square feet of permanent space on the second level at Mayfair Mall.
"The first mall that came to mind was Mayfair. I knew it was the best mall in Wisconsin, and I wanted to shoot for the top," Hoffmann said.
Puzzle World, which sells puzzles of all difficulty levels for children and adults, is located on the north end of the mall, surrounded by other stores that feature gifts for children.
Hoffmann continues to operate temporary, seasonal space at other locations in Wisconsin, but is thrilled to finally have one base store.
Abdul Khalek Azzab took a bit longer path to refine his retail concept. A native of Egypt and a collector and teacher of Egyptian art, Azzab’s concept began in 1991.
Azzab opened his Egyptian International Art store on the second floor of the south end of Mayfair Mall Nov. 1, after signing a seven-year lease for his 1,500 square feet of space.
"I have put everything into this, all of my personal assets," Azzab said. " We feel like we’ll have a great future – double what we did before. This is a unique store. We are doing well."
Azzab and his six employees are still refining their displays, which include exotic globes, chessboards, jewelry and art.
Nancy Visintainer-Armstrong is another retail veteran who took the big step to sign a three-year lease at Mayfair.
Visintainer-Armstrong opened Viktor-Viktoria in 2,000 square feet of space on the mall’s first floor earlier this month.
She founded the store’s concept of selling "funky, eclectic women’s clothing and jewelry" in 1985, after saving money while working at a Target store.
"I took my $5,000 savings and started a store," she said.
That first store was on Milwaukee’s East Side. She moved into temporary space at Mayfair in 1998, before signing a three-year lease at the mall and hiring 18 employees this year.
"I’m very confident in Mayfair as a mall, first of all. And it helps to be on the first floor," Visintainer-Armstrong said. "They key is having the right merchandise and staying on top of all the trends."
If not for their creativity and determination, Hoffmann, Azzab and Visintainer-Armstrong should be commended for their courage.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell in October to 79.4, its lowest level since November, 1993, and many economists are predicting a lean holiday retail season.
Nov. 22, 2002 Small Business Times, Milwaukee
