The 225,000 square feet of shopping, restaurants, and entertainment have been a development of Downtown Atlanta since the late 1960’s. There is no wonder that the shopping and entertainment district sees thousands of visitors each year. With every visitant there is a unique reason behind the visit. Some patrons come with a wish list and others are simply window shopping. Regardless of the reason, there are over 60 stores to choose from. Underground Atlanta is full of stores that sale the same materials. The small business vendors (mall cart vendors) are specialty stores. Unlike department stores, mall carts offer specific merchandise, i.e., one vendor may specialize in cell phone accessories. Because of the carts’ center isle location, the independent vendors have access to a constant flow of potential customers. The customers have direct access to the mall carts without going into a department store.
When entering the lower level of the Underground, the first mall cart is, “Watch Me Inc.” This cart has served customers at the Underground for more than three years. Just as the name indicates, this small store specializes in male and female watches. The watches are an assortment of colors and sizes. The colors of the bands range from silver and gold to rainbow colors. The faces on the watches are about the size of a half-dollar. Most of the watches are analog; however, there are a few digital. Smart watches are also available at this cart. As a side item, there is a small selection of ladies’ purses for sale.
A cellphone accessory cart, “Media Mart” sales the latest cellphone cases, chargers, and ear plugs. The cases can fit Android and I-phone cell phones. There are all types of cases from Pokémon to Georgia Bulldogs. Some cases have bling-bling on them and others have a smooth texture. Some cases can fit into the pocket and some can be carried as a purse. The cart has ear plugs for cell phones as well as I-pads. The phone chargers are limited to Android cell phones. The store also offers portable cell phone chargers that serve as cell phone cases as well. This vendor has been in business for about five years.
“Instant Photos of Atlanta” is another mall cart. This vendor serves customers through photographing. Instant photographing is offered for visitants who want to capture the moment. There is a photographer on site with a selection of backgrounds to choose from. Each background is multicolored with an Atlanta theme. The photos are ready for pick up within minutes. This vendor has been in business at Underground Atlanta for about six years.
The eye wear vendor specializes in sun glasses for men, women, and kids. The frames are a variety of styles. The collection includes frames that are round shaped and others are retro-square shaped. Some of the frames are durable and sturdy and some are a little less sturdy. There are metal frames and plastic frames. The vendor offers sporty sunglasses as well as aviators. The aviators have a dark metal frame. The lens come in clear, dark, cooper, and amber tints. This mall cart has been in business for about five years.
Another small business cart is, “Art of Makeup.” This vendor offers makeup that ranges from foundation and eye makeup to lipstick. The vendor also installs eyelashes to enhance the eyes. The eyelashes are available for sale at the cart. Customers can also get their makeup applied at the cart. This vendor has been in operation for a short time but was once under another name.
Subjectively, the material sold at the mall carts are inexpensive. The sunglasses are made of good quality. Not only is the merchandise worth buying, but the customer service is genuine. I would defiantly recommend shopping at Underground Atlanta.