A major U.S. shopping center owner is making curbside pickup a permanent feature at its properties, as more customers are turning to this option during the coronavirus pandemic. Kimco Realty, which owns more than 400 shopping centers and other mixed-used developments, is rolling out designated curbside pickup spaces in parking lots at 23 centers in Texas, starting as soon as this week. It will be adding these spaces to its shopping centers nationwide in the coming days, Kimco told CNBC. Kimco said it initially tried the service at its Grand Parkway Marketplace in Spring, Texas, whose tenants include Ross Stores, Party City and PetSmart. It made 60 parking spots designated for curbside pickup, which all retailers at the property are able to use as a shared amenity. When shoppers place orders from these retailers — opting to use curbside pickup — they are instructed which parking slot to arrive at. “While curbside pickup was already gaining traction before the pandemic, some of our national retailers are now reporting a 200 percent increase in curbside pickup orders,” Kimco Chief Executive Conor Flynn said in a statement. Click to read more at www.cnbc.com.