I’m sure you know the feeling: you want to go shopping after work, but when quitting time rolls around, you’re beat. I’ve certainly been there on occasion. So to promote its late night shopping hours, the Broadwalk Centre, Edgeware is making sure customers are perked up and ready to shop by giving them a free cup of joe.

They hooked up with center eatery Costa Coffee to offer commuters vouchers for a free cup of coffee. Whimsically-dressed waitresses are spending the morning and evening commute at the center’s adjacent railway station handing the vouchers to commuters.

The vouchers can only be redeemed during Happy Hour, between 6 and 7 pm. This gets shoppers into the center and aware of the extended trading hours, and it also perks them up for an evening shopping trip. Sounds like a perfect match, and according to the center it’s going very well indeed.

“The Costa restaurant in The Broadwalk is at the hub of the scheme and by ensuring it is busy in the key launch period of our extended shopping period we are creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere which will support the stores trading for longer hours.” says Dina Mistry, marketing manager at the center. “Costa Coffee have been a great support in this venture and we expect a high level of redemptions for the voucher offer which has no limitations beyond the happy hour time restraint.”

You can see another shot of the lovely waitresses offering shoppers a free cuppa to promote the Happy Hour extended shopping on our Facebook page.

On July 15th and 16th, the 405 will be closed. It’s one of Los Angeles’s biggest freeways, and the city is already known for its heavy traffic, so things are going to get messy. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa expects the weekend traffic to be “an absolute nightmare,” so what better time for shoppers to explore their own neighborhoods?

In that spirit, Westfield’s LA centers are opening their arms to local shoppers and planning a big weekend of giveaways, special offers and entertainment. It’s a way of saying “thanks” to those brave people that head out into the weekend traffic to do their shopping.

“Having already dubbed the 405 closure ‘Carmageddon,’ LA residents are understandably worried that going anywhere in the city July 16-17 will be a hassle,” says Zanne Augur-Daniels, regional director of marketing for Westfield. “Westfield wants to provide a fun alternative to staying at home, and we’ll have free entertainment, great giveaways, and special offers for anyone in the neighborhood of our three participating centers.”

Shoppers can enter to win a “I Survived the 405” prize package, including a $500 gas card, free valet parking and monthly car washes for the rest of the year.

Each participating center has a different plan for the weekend. Westfield Century City is randomly giving away gift cards worth up to $500 from participating retailers. Shoppers can also look forward to live music and movie screenings. Westfield Culver City is holding a tailgate party, with video game tournaments, races, photo booths and DJs. It’s also put together a Retail Refuge Savings booklet. Westfield Fashion Square has free valet all weekend, per-spend giveaways for free car washes, and kids activities.

Destin Commons is getting ready for Independence Day, planning its first-ever Smoke on the Coast event.

Every year, the center holds a fireworks festival, but this year it’s doing something a little different. Six teams from center retailers and restaurants are going to compete in a no-holds-barred barbeque cook off. The teams include Hard Rock Café, Poppy’s Sports Bar, Bass Pro, Valleycrest, 98 Bar-B-Que, and Hog Heaven. No matter who wins, shoppers get the best deal: barbeque tasting from each of the competitors.

To fill things out, there are art projects, face painting, live music, pirate magic, and bounce houses. The kiddies, especially, should have a great time. Shoppers can also pop by customer service to pick up free shopping and dining savings passports, and enter to win gift cards and giveaways.

Metropolis at Metrotown has the best seats in town, and it wants to share them with its shoppers.

The shopping center has reserved seats in an executive suite in Rogers Arena, the largest stadium in Vancouver, Canada. It’s the home of all the biggest concerts and sporting events, and Metropolis shoppers have a shot to attend the best of them each week.

The center’s Hot Seat promotion is simple. Each week Metropolis announces an upcoming concert or hockey game it will send two shoppers to on its Facebook and Twitter accounts. But shoppers can’t enter online – they need to visit customer service for a ballot. Each week a winner is drawn, and he or she gets two tickets to the big show. Earlier this week, one lucky winner took her younger sister to see Justin Bieber live.

The competition keeps shoppers connected online, and keeps them coming back to the mall: the perfect combination.

“On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a Westfield Shopping Spree…”

In fifty of its US shopping centers, Westfield is celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas. According to Westfield, those are the Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between now and the 25th. But at least if they’re redefining the term, they’re doing it in style.

Black Friday marks the first day of the event, and shoppers can enter for one of twelve $5000 shopping sprees. The contests, samples and giveaways continue through December. Lucky shoppers will take home laptops and smart phones, save on Santa photos and gift wrapping, and enjoy free snacks and choral music.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, December 20th, Santa himself will grant twelve children their holiday wishes.