Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelly Weidner.
Shelly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee with a degree in Public Relations. I watched my father work in retail my entire life and with retail in my blood, I pursued a career in the same industry.
With a degree and a goal in mind, I took a job as Marketing Assistant for Governor’s Square Mall in Tallahassee. I was promoted to Retail Marketing Coordinator for the property within a year. I was then promoted to Marketing Manager of Mizner Park, an outdoor luxury mixed-use property in Boca Raton. From there, I relocated to Atlanta and became the Marketing Manager for Cumberland Mall during its major redevelopment in 2004-2005. Being a part of this transformation was a wonderful growth opportunity for me and helped me prepare for my role now.
In 2009, I joined Simon as the Director of Marketing & Business Development at Town Center at Cobb. All my steps prior to this position provided me with first-rate experience that helped me prepare for my current position.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Shopping centers are ever-changing and so is mall marketing. This constant evolution is challenging, but it has become one of my favorite aspects of my job. Retail is not the only focus for malls anymore. At Town Center at Cobb, for example, I continue to look for ways to make the mall a gathering place through events and community partnerships with local schools and organizations such as WellStar, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta.
Please tell us about Town Center at Cobb; A Simon Mall.
I love announcing new retailers and expansions to our shoppers. Just last summer H&M opened a store three times larger than the size of its former space at our mall and the energy and excitement surrounding the expansion was incredible.
Over the past decade, I’ve also helped establish Town Center at Cobb as the county’s premier shopping destination. We have worked to strengthen our position as a family and community-centric mall with different initiatives including Caring Bunny, Family Pet Night, Disney Jr. Music Play Dates and of course, the highly-anticipated arrival of Santa every year. Personally, I’m very proud of how far Town Center has come and watching the shopping center continue to meet the shopping, dining and entertainment needs of families all over Northwest Georgia.
Contact Info:
- Website: simon.com/towncenteratcobb
- Instagram: instagram.com/townctratcobb/
- Facebook: facebook.com/TownCenterAtCobb/
- Twitter: twitter.com/TownCtratCobb/
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