April 29, 2014  by

The perks of being quirky

How retailers are staying relevant in the age of online shopping

Retailers and store designers have been going through an evolving existential crisis, ever since Amazon shipped its first book in 1995. Clearly the online shopping landscape has changed significantly in the last 20 years and in a bid to get people back in stores and off the computer, bricks-and-mortar retailers have had to adapt by offering experiences that can’t be found online. The best are getting ahead of trends by knowing their client-base to the core and being much more strategic about the markets they target.

For many of the most sought-after consumers, the obsession with being avant-garde, getting in on the ground floor and liking something before it becomes cool has gone mainstream. For the last ten years or so, stores have aimed to make mass merchandise feel quirky and unique, but for the foreseeable future, stores and malls will have to provide merchandise and experiences that are actually unique, using everything from bespoke t-shirts to the latest tech to boost the adventurous, experiential factor of shopping.

The experience of finding something homemade and one-of-a-kind is all part of this movement. Crafts like canning, knitting and home-brewed beer have been popular for years now and with handmade commerce site Etsy projected to hit one million sellers and over $1 billion in total annual transactions this year, the “homemade” trend is officially a goldmine. Bricks-and-mortar stores are tapping into the trend with places like Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles acting like a physical Etsy; everything is handmade, sellers sign a simple month-by-month lease and customers can buy truly singular finds. The need for one-of-a-kind products also ties into the demand for customization that has been growing, from jeans to coffee to cellphones. 3D printing is going to continue to take customization and tailor-made goods to new heights, but the cost will most likely stay prohibitive for at least a few more years, especially at home.

At the same time that homemade items have skyrocketed, sprawling shopping centers have closed around the country. In some cases, smaller retail centers have taken their places, providing the opportunity to be much more targeted to the local community. This type of demographic specialization can be a difficult thing to achieve because it has to be authentic, but when it’s right, it’s really special. Around L.A., places like Space 15 Twenty draw Hollywood hipsters with an adaptively reused space, an Urban Outfitters, gallery spaces, music and food festivals. Malibu Lumber Yard has a “see and be seen” casual lounging vibe that is very much of the place. Both are very specific to the niche audiences they’re trying to reach and don’t try to create generic appeal like a regional mall. Traditional retailers are getting into it too, albeit with a mass-market flair, with one-off pop-up stores and even larger malls becoming more distinctive, with art displays and events that are about much more than shopping; they’re about creating and supporting community. That’s exactly what the traditional shopping mall offered in its heyday in the 1980s and 90s alongside the JCPenneys, Sears and Sbarros of the world, and what the old-school town square offered before that. The smartest developers are capitalizing on the fact that a sense of community is hard to come by online and finding new reasons to get people to their centers, betting that they’ll open their wallets while they’re there.

Cover image via Flickr (Jared Eberhardt)

CallisonRTKL

CallisonRTKL

For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of nearly 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our client’s businesses and enhancing quality of life.
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