Mall owner to offer new shopping app

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September 1, 2010

The Biz Ethan Forman The Salem News Wed Sep 01, 2010, 12:07 AM EDT

Simon Property Group, the owner of the Northshore Mall in Peabody and the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, is unveiling a mobile shopping application called Shopkick at more than 100 of the nation's largest malls.

The free smart-phone application, or app, will allow shoppers to receive information about deals while they're shopping and earn "kickbucks" just for entering a store. Kickbucks can be redeemed for rewards or donated to charity.

There is no telling when the application might be coming to North Shore malls, however. A prepared statement from Simon Property said Shopkick would be rolled out in time for the holiday season at more than 100 malls but did not specify which ones.

The new venture is the result of an alliance between a startup called Shopkick, which is behind the technology of the location-based mobile application, and Simon Brand Ventures.

In other mall news, for those looking to open a business at the mall, Simon Malls New England will be holding the region's first franchise fair at the Burlington Mall on Saturday, Sept. 11, from noon to 5 p.m.

Representatives from Apricot Road, Auntie Anne's, DQ/Orange Julius, Flip Flop Shop, Fudgies Wudgies, Fuzziwigs Candy Factory, Haagen-Dazs, Jamba Juice, The Learning Express, Nestle Toll House, Red Mango and Wetzel's Pretzels will be on hand.

Danversbank donates $2,500

The Danversbank Charitable Foundation recently donated $2,500 to Beverly Bootstraps Community Services to pay for lunches for children in the summer parks program in Beverly.

Danversbank adopted Goldway Park on Rantoul Street, and on Fridays, bank employees delivered brown-bag lunches to children in the park.

In February, Beverly National Bank merged with Danversbank. The combined bank has about $2.5 billion in assets.

Cherry tomatoes judged super-sweet

Clark Farm's Sungold variety of cherry tomatoes took second prize in the cherry tomato category at the state's 26th annual Tomato Festival, held on City Hall Plaza in Boston last week.

"I had a lot to choose from this year. The variety is a very sweet variety, which I grow because of the Marblehead Farmers Market," said Bill Clark, who runs the family-owned Clark Farm in Danvers.

Shoppers at the Marblehead Farmers Market asked him to grow the Sungold tomatoes, so he did — with the result they are now considered among the top-tasting in the state. Wards Berry Farm in Sharon took first place.

Connors Farm in Danvers placed 10th in the slicing category. Clark Farm also took eighth place for its Red Zebra heirloom variety.

GE spent millions on lobbying

General Electric, which operates a massive jet engine facility in Lynn, spent $8.3 million on Washington lobbying in the second quarter of this year, according to The Associated Press, which cited a disclosure filed with the U.S. House clerk's office.

That's up $1.1 million over the same period in 2009.

Among other things, GE spent money to lobby against the Obama administration's effort to halt funding for an alternative engine for the F-35 fighter. The preferred engine is being developed by Pratt & Whitney. GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce are jointly developing this second engine, which still has support in Congress.

Congressman Tierney hosts workshop

Congressman John Tierney hosted a workshop last week to help small North Shore companies do business overseas.

The event, held at North Shore Community College in Danvers, featured a panel presentation by several state and federal agencies. One of them, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, showcased four companies that accessed $9 million last year for export activities.

Robert Halliday, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Varian Semiconductor of Gloucester, said in a statement the workshop "was helpful and informative for our company and many others."

• • •

Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673 or by e-mail at eforman@salemnews.com.

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