Because they have to have police cars stationed there while they are open.
People don't like to shop where they don't feel safe. If they do shop there it is "in and out" no hanging around to eat.
I'm old enough to remember when "shopping centers" or "plazas" were converted to enclosed "shopping malls," and that was indeed when people began to hang around. Nothing like a little cold and precip to keep the slackers at bay.
Mr. niteowl77
I never thought about that but the B&M stores I still frequent tend to be in shopping plazas or stand alone stores. They tend to have better stuff as well.