Forbes: Indy has 5th-best shopping city in U.S. 12.17.10

Indianapolis Star

Forbes’ first-ever ranking of the best U.S. cities for shopping says Indianapolis has the kind of numbers that makes retail sparkle.
Forbes' list ranks Indianapolis at No. 5, with 5,955 retail locations, 18 shopping centers and a 7 percent sales tax. Forbes credits the offerings from Castleton Square Mall, the largest in the state with over 130 stores.
In compiling its list of America’s best cities for shopping, Forbes said that it "took the interests of all types to heart to find the urban centers with the best combination of options, ease and affordability."

That's why notorious shopping hot spots – like New York, San Francisco and Boston - fell to the bottom of the ranking. San Francisco has one of the highest combined sales tax rates in the country at 9.5 percent and New York is not far behind at 8.8 percent.
MORE COVERAGE: The Forbes' story.
Maybe it's no surprise we're among the best, since the headquarters of Simon Property Group, the No. 1 shopping mall owner in the U.S., are located in Downtown Indianapolis.
The Forbes list, which ranks Houston and Dallas No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, was published this week.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20101217/BUSINESS/312170001/-1/7daysarchives/Forbes-Indy-has-5th-best-shopping-city-U-S-