Shoppers returned to malls in droves in March, boosted by a sharp rise in personal income and a strong boost in consumer spending, reinforcing the view that a recovery in the pandemic-stricken retail sector is building steam. Foot traffic at a sample of 50 malls in March was up 86 percent from the same month last year, according to mobile-device location data from analytics firm Placer.ai. Ethan Chernofsky, VP of Marketing at Placer.ai, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that, “we’re already seeing the signs of a clear retail recovery.” “Visits to retailers, restaurants, malls, and more are all on the rise, but the recovery is still likely to have peaks and valleys. Weather, seasonality, and dips in tourism and business travel still matter. Yet, so long as COVID’s effects continue to dissipate, there is a growing confidence that retail could reach ‘normal’ levels within the coming months,” …