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Search Results for: across event – Page 3

Will Odwarka, Founder and CEO of Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting (left), and Jonathan Doughty, Managing Director of Viklari Consulting Ltd (right). /// credit: ACROSS, Will Odwarka, Jonathan Doughty

WILL & JOHNNY’S TOP 10: THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND NOTEWORTHY FOOD CONCEPTS

Will Odwarka, Founder and CEO of Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting, and Jonathan Doughty, Managing Director of Viklari Consulting Ltd and Partner at Juniper Strategy, are food & beverage experts. They have helped to shape some of the most exciting F&B projects in Europe and beyond – but they are also travelers. For the latest print issue of ACROSS, the industry experts have compiled their Top 10 restaurants and hospitality businesses worldwide. Their selection illustrates one thing above everything else: To be among the leading F&B concepts, it is not necessary to create a specific menu or to offer a particular cuisine or format, nor does it matter whether you are a new or an old player in the market or whether you offer fast food or gourmet dishes – the most decisive factors are maximum customer focus and authenticity.

A year and a half since the opening of the expansion, Eurovea shopping center has reached 95% occupancy, and has successfully renewed around 50 leases this year. /// credit: Eurovea

EUROVEA: HOW TO CREATE A UNIQUE SHOPPING CENTER ON A SATURATED MARKET

Exciting new leasing partners and new openings further cement Eurovea’s position as the most innovative and highest-quality shopping center in Bratislava. In an interview with ACROSS, Leasing Manager Katarina Paule talks about what it takes to prevail in a competitive market like Bratislava, why Eurovea offers the ideal market entry, why F&B and leisure, in particular, are influenced by the entire Eurovea City, and why it’s ultimately all about the community.

In January 2023, Sonae Sierra announced a further step in its growth in Italy by signing a partnership with Chorus Life for the leasing of the retail space of the new “City of the Future” model, developed by the POLIFIN Group and built by COSTIM. /// credit: Sonae Sierra

“THE GREATEST NEED IN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TODAY IS ADAPTABILITY”

“Across all markets, we are seeing that retail has remained a resilient and thriving sector,” explains Cristina Santos, Executive Director Property Management at Sonae Sierra. More than almost any other European company, Sonae Sierra is strategically diversified across several regions and adapts to the specific requirements of each. The company has extensive experience with its own properties and has increasingly used that knowledge as a cornerstone of its approach to manage third-party properties.

Left-to-right: Yurdaer Kahraman, CEO and Board Member of FİBA Commercial Properties; With its 17,000 sq m glass ceiling, Star Mall in Shenyang, China, lets the sunlight in and creates a feeling of shopping in the open air. /// credit: FİBA CP

FIBA COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES: THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMER NEEDS-RELATED PROJECTS

Architecture, service, offerings, technology, and sustainability—these are the key elements of consumer needs-related projects. Fiba Commercial Properties explains how these aspects are properly implemented and integrated and, in the end, deliver a unique, captivating experience that goes beyond what traditional retail developments offer.

The Tirana East Gate (TEG) shopping center in Albania was conceived from the beginning as a flagship property and is constantly being developed as such. /// credit: ACREM

Mall Management à la TEG: “For Retailers We Offer More Than Shop Space – We Offer Possibilities In A Vibrant Market”

ACREM is the mall management company behind TEG (Tirana East Gate). The shopping center in Albania set a completely new standard regarding professionalism and efficiency, resulting in the Albanians not having to hide behind the Western industry giants in terms of footfall and catchment areas. ACROSS Management Director Reinhard Winiwarter discussed with Elda Hysenbelli, CEO at ACREM, and Joana Korimi, Head of Marketing at ACREM, what mall management and marketing à la TEG looks like, what their customers demand, and why some customers feel so comfortable in the center that they even get married there.

Retail Talk: Uncovering The REAL Issues Of Retail Real Estate — “We Need Shopping Experience To Be The Key Behind Every Decision Between Retailer, Operator, Landlord and Investor”

“We need something that is consistent between retailer, operator, landlord and investor, and can be the key behind every decision, and shopping experience is the obvious answer.” Our latest Retail Talk, “Uncovering the REAL Issues, Problems and Challenges of Retail Real Estate”, revealed that many of the retail industry’s current issues can only be tackled if first we solve the problems that stem from within, as skills such as leadership, fast adaptability to the changing market environment, courage, as well as mutual understanding during the decision-making process are necessary yet barely present in the industry.

credit: MEC, ACROSS

Retail PIN – The new think tank for the future of retail real estate

The challenges facing the retail real estate sector are more significant than ever. Future-oriented solutions for retail properties such as retail parks are urgently needed – this is precisely where the Retail PIN comes in. This newly founded think tank, an initiative of six leading companies in the retail real estate industry, pools strategic expertise and a shared vision: to actively and sustainably shape the future of retail locations.

BALFIN Group: “New markets need courageous people.”

The BALFIN Group has brought nothing less than the idea of shopping centers to Albania. The group is not only a developer and operator of assets but has also developed into one of the most influential retail and wholesale players in the Western Balkans. “It takes courage, trust, and patience to break new ground,” says Julian Mane, Vice President Retail of the BALFIN Group. “But whoever is among the first on a new market will also be the most successful.” In the extensive interview with ACROSS, Mane explains, among other things, how he convinces brands to enter the Albanian market, what they can expect there, and why retail parks will be the future concept for the country.

Brendon O'Reilly, Managing Director of FASHION HOUSE Group (left), Outlet Centre Pallady in Bucharest, Romania (right). /// credit: FASHION HOUSE Group

WE STILL NEED MORE INVESTORS WHO UNDERSTAND OUR BUSINESS

Fashion House Group is the only outlet operator in Romania, and it benefits from a growing interest in international brands in Southeast Europe. In this interview with ACROSS, Brendon O’Reilly, Managing Director of Fashion House Group, explains how he wants to grow and expand with these brands.

Otto Ambagtsheer, Chief Executive Officer at VIA Outlets (left), Expansion of Landquart Fashion Outlet, Switzerland (right) /// credit: VIA Outlets

“OUR EXPANSION PROJECTS ARE KEY GROWTH ENABLERS.”

VIA Outlets is expanding at almost every one of its 11 premium fashion outlet locations across Europe, and strengthening the F&B offering is a priority, CEO Otto Ambagtsheer says. He’s confident that organic growth will continue to be the company’s mainstay, because there are very few acquisition opportunities on the market currently, but VIA Outlets will seize the chance to invest if the right M&A deal arises that fits with its business strategy. He added that expanding VIA Outlets’ omnichannel strategy is another key priority.

The pocket park aims to preserve the local ecosystem and enhance the area's role within it. /// credit: NEINVER

NEINVER UNVEILS POCKET PARK AT FACTORY POZNAŃ

FACTORY Poznań, managed by NEINVER, has officially opened a 2,000 sq m pocket park. This spectacular green space – complete with unique architectural elements – was designed and constructed in collaboration with landscape architects and biodiversity experts, part of the LIFE Archiclima project, a program funded by the European Union and the Polish National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

Antoine Frey, CEO of FREY (left), Thomas Reichenauer, Co-Founder and Managing Director of ROS Retail Outlet Shopping (right). /// credit: FREY, ROS

“WITHIN THE NEXT TEN YEARS, WE WANT TO BUILD TOGETHER ONE OF THE BEST EUROPEAN COMPANIES DEVELOPING, OWNING, AND MANAGING OUTLETS”

This summer, ROS Retail Outlet Shopping joined the French FREY Group to grow together in the outlet sector. In this interview, Antoine Frey, CEO of FREY, and Thomas Reichenauer, Co-Founder and Managing Director of ROS Retail Outlet Shopping, explain which values and visions both companies have in common, what plans they are pursuing, especially with their first project in Malmö, and why they feel particularly comfortable in the outlet and outdoor shopping sector in the long term.

Global Retail Attractiveness Index: New high in European retail markets

GRAI 3/2024 is driven by greater consumer confidence. The index compiled by Union Investment and GfK sees increased signs of recovery in eight European countries. The most significant increases are visible in Sweden and the Czech Republic, while overseas regions are stabilizing at a weak level.

Justyna Bartosz is the Head of Leasing at NEPI Rockcastle. /// credit: NEPI Rockcastle

“CREATING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE ENJOY MEMORABLE MOMENTS TOGETHER – THAT IS THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE FOR ALL CHANGE AND INNOVATION.”

NEPI Rockcastle’s strong net operating income (NOI) growth of 13.5% in the first half of 2024 allowed the company to raise its forecast for full-year distributable earnings per share. Justyna Bartosz, the Group’s Head of Leasing, explains what makes the CEE’s retail and consumer world tick and why it is that NEPI Rockcastle and its tenants can’t pay enough attention to the buzzwords: experience, community building, and authenticity.

Bernd Albl is Managing Director Digital Solutions at umdasch The Store Makers. /// credit: umdasch

SUCCESS AT THE POINT OF SALE: MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS

Imagine walking into a store that plays your favorite music, makes personalized product recommendations based on your needs and desires, and even lets you try on products. Welcome to a new shopping experience. Bernd Albl, Managing Director Digital Solutions at umdasch The Store Makers, explains what these new possibilities look like.

Sebastian Guth is the Managing Director of 21Media. /// credit: 21Media

MARKETING CAN REDEFINE THE ROLE OF SHOPPING CENTERS IN A CHANGING RETAIL LANDSCAPE

The challenge is to transform the shopping center from a place of consumption to a world of experience that seamlessly combines leisure, entertainment, and shopping. In his guest article, Sebastian Guth, Managing Director of 21Media, explains the role of B2B and B2C marketing in the transition of brick-and-mortar retail and shopping centers.

With this store, P&C* Düsseldorf wants to create awareness for more sustainable fashion and positively influence the industry. /// credit: P&C* Düsseldorf

P&C DÜSSELDORF’S FIRST CONSCIOUS STORE: “NOT PERFECT, BUT BETTER EVERY DAY.”

Fashion company Peek & Cloppenburg* Düsseldorf opened the Conscious Fashion Store at The Playce Berlin in 2023. With this store, P&C* Düsseldorf wants to create awareness for more sustainable fashion and positively influence the industry. The company focuses on the corresponding design and direct exchange via panel discussions, workshops, or even on making the plants in the store particularly green. P&C’s Conscious Fashion Store exemplifies how even a large, international fashion chain can develop and integrate individual concepts that focus on experience. ACROSS spoke to Thimo Schwenzfeier, General Sales Manager of the Conscious Fashion Store at Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf, about the idea.

credit: Rioja Estate/McArthurGlen/Hammerson

EUROPE HAS BECOME SATURATED, SO WHERE NEXT FOR OUTLETS?

In recent years, Europe has seen a proliferation of designer outlet malls, catering to savvy shoppers seeking luxury brands at discounted prices. However, the market in Europe is now showing signs of saturation, prompting developers and investors to look beyond traditional borders for new opportunities, says Giles Membrey, Managing Director, Rioja Estates. This shift is driven by various factors, including market maturity, consumer saturation, and the quest for untapped potential in emerging regions.

credit: Ken Gunn

European Outlet Review

The number of stores operating at European outlet centres increased by 0.5% to 15,748 in the twelve months to August 2024. This is the greatest number ever recorded. The number of brands operating at European outlet centres also increased 1.4% to 4,536. This is 0.7% greater than in 2019.

Indoor Skydiving at Rhein-Neckar Zentrum in Viernheim, Germany. /// credit: ECE

PERFECT MATCH: SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

Thanks to their diverse mix of tenants and sectors, today’s shopping centers are more than just places to go shopping: They’re experience destinations and community hubs that enjoy a great deal of popularity – as illustrated by ECE Marketplaces’ latest success figures. Entertainment concepts have increasingly become attractive complements to and additional drawing cards for the respective locations, as current ECE center portfolio examples show.

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