In part one of a three-part series, CallisonRTKL Vice President Kyle Jeffery examines how blurring the lines of retail can have enormous impact.
In the past, retail was a space that relied on transaction rather than interaction. But now everyone—and I don’t just mean millennials—wants more than that. To compete with online shopping, we have to think beyond classic retail and design a place infused with social activities and unique experiences. Shopping can no longer just be a transaction; it must be infused with interaction, emotion, education, entertainment and social and community growth. It must be a place that supports commerce but through experiential places and a community connection. Detached malls and strip centers are vestiges of the past. Today, retail centers must be linked with living, working and lifestyle amenities.
Moving forward, three elements will provide a platform for a thriving retail experience: blurring the lines of program, inventing innovative alternatives to retailers and providing a platform to let the program flex and change.