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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.

Yurdaer Kahraman, CEO and Board Member of FİBA Commercial Properties. /// credit: FİBA CP

“YOU DON’T WANT TO RUIN YOUR FUTURE BY MAKING THE WRONG LEASING DECISIONS.”

“Commercial Real Estate is not a short-term project,” says Yurdaer Kahraman. The CEO and Board Member of Fiba Commercial Properties has dedicated his career to the retail real estate industry. He is familiar with the international and German markets and, through Fiba Commercial Properties, now operates some of the most innovative centers in Türkiye, Southeastern Europe, and the Far East. In the ACROSS interview, he critically examines the management of the European retail real estate industry and concludes that only quality will prevail. In today’s competitive environment, it is not a matter of being the largest in the number of assets and area. The winners are those who are fast, innovative, and sustainable.

JTRE`s Ganz House project is located at the picturesque Danube riverside next to Eurovea. /// credit: JTRE

GANZ HOUSE IN BRATISLAVA’S VIBRANT EUROVEA CITY: ATTRACTIVE LIVING AND EXCLUSIVE OFFICES

Bratislava’s dynamic development and rapidly-changing panorama reflect vibrant growth – and nowhere more so than the popular Eurovea area between Apollo Bridge and Old Bridge. Eurovea City is fast becoming the city’s best location for working, living, and relaxing, and that’s where developer JTRE is building the Ganz House boutique project.

Redevelopment: Elisen Palais in Hamburg, Germany (left), Chris Fleetwood, Deputy COO Real Estate at Redevco (right). /// credit: Redevco

TECHNICAL INNOVATION BY BRANDS AND CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH LANDLORDS WILL DETERMINE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN RETAIL’S “SECULAR SHIFT”

“We are all aware of the seismic changes in the retail landscape in recent years that have affected both owners and occupiers”, says Chris Fleetwood, Deputy COO Real Estate at Redevco. Therefore, a combination of macroeconomic events, higher-for-longer interest rates and inflation, increased consumer awareness of their own environmental footprints and values, and the emergence of transformative technologies have created an ever more competitive environment.

Expo Real 2024. /// credit: HyperIn

EMPOWERING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WITH INNOVATION: INSIGHTS FROM EXPO REAL 2024 WITH HYPERIN

Expo Real, Europe’s largest property and investment trade fair, concluded with a strong focus on digital transformation in the real estate sector. Among the key exhibitors, HyperIn stood out for its contributions to discussions on the evolving landscape of commercial real estate technology. The event served as an important platform for HyperIn to showcase their all-in-one platform, engaging industry leaders and sharing insights on how technology is shaping the future of property management.

credit: Avannah van der Niet for CEE CEE CREATIVE HIGHRES

HOW POTSDAMER PLATZ ATTRACTED GLOBAL BRANDS

The secret to a thriving retail destination lies in the art of curating a unique combination of retailers set against aesthetic backdrops with a blend of loyal customers, brands, and events that consistently attract new visitors. This is no easy feat in the competitive European market. However, The Playce at Potsdamer Platz, located in central Berlin, has emerged as a place of “firsts” for the city, Germany, and Europe.

Roger Goyk, Director of Retail Brookfield Properties (left), Jonathan Doughty, Special Project Manager at ECE (right). /// credit: Brookfield Properties, ECE

THE PLAYCE IN BERLIN: THERE WAS NO NEED FOR “JUST ANOTHER” SHOPPING MALL

Like no other German shopping center, “The Playce” at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin is a shopping and cultural destination that focuses on food and beverage, leisure, and retail stores that are new to Berlin or unique in their concepts. One and a half years after its opening, The Playce is now 96 percent leased. ACROSS discusses why now is the best time to be part of the project with Roger Goyk, Director of Retail Brookfield Properties, and Jonathan Doughty, Special Project Manager at ECE.

In Riyadh, MK Illumination transformed the retail experience during Ramadan with an opulent, culturally refined atmosphere. /// credit: MK Illumination

REDEFINING RETAIL SUCCESS: FROM SALES METRICS TO MULTISENSORY EXPERIENCES

As retail evolves, so must the metrics that define success. Traditionally, sales per square meter have been the standard. Yet, as consumer preferences shift toward experiences over transactions, this measure no longer fully captures retail success. What is the new benchmark? Experience per square meter. MK Illumination discusses the topic from the perspective of a company that has the creation of experiences and positive atmospheres in its DNA like no other.

Susan Hagerty Bonsak is CEO of Placewise. /// credit: Placewise

EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF SHOPPING CENTERS

Shopping centers—including multi-use, regional, luxury centers, and outlet malls—should always be looking for ways to increase traffic and maintain loyalty among existing shoppers, as well as attract new visitors. This article by Placewise CEO Susan Hagerty Bonsak delves into how experiential marketing can help centers evolve into vibrant community hubs. Let’s explore a hypothetical event, Sensory Spring Fest, which uses experiential marketing to create engaging activities, drive sales, and build strong community ties.

credit: BBE Retail Consultancy, WOW Concept

CUSTOMER HAPPINESS NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED IN TURNOVER FIGURES

True retail experience represents a major opportunity to inspire and retain customers when they visit a store – perhaps the only opportunity, says Dr. Johannes Berentzen, Managing Director of retail consultancy BBE. Yet, how can experience and, by extension, success be measured? In an interview with ACROSS, the strategy consultant talks, among other things, about how and why we need to rethink space in brick-and-mortar retail, which key figures we should question, and what role technology plays in the process. The underlying challenge: The successful implementation of good ideas requires creativity, entrepreneurial courage, and the necessary funds.

André Stromeyer is the Managing Director at HBB Centermanagement. /// credit: HBB

RETAIL REAL ESTATE IN A STATE OF CHANGE

In order for retailers and retail property operators to inspire and retain customers in the long term, it is essential that they rethink their spaces and develop innovative concepts, according to HBB. Such new approaches include the redefinition of multi-sensory shopping experiences and strategies to enhance the customer experience.

Gutterball (left) is the company’s family-orientated bowling offer, while Level X (right) combines multiple family entertainment concepts under one roof. /// credit: Lane7

LANE7: “WE ARE THE NEW SHOPPING CENTER ANCHOR”

The bowling concept is opening its first location in continental Europe with The Playce in Berlin. The British company’s appetite for expansion does not stop there. Tim Wilks, founder of the concept, explains in an interview why bowling, in particular, is a successful format, how he guarantees footfall for shopping center landlords and other tenants, and which markets and locations are on his list.

credit: Breuninger

“WE DON’T THINK IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL CHANNELS – WE THINK AS A BRAND.”

Breuninger has been pursuing a consistent omnichannel approach since 2008. Ideally, customers should feel no difference between the channels. At the same time, the openings in Munich and Hamburg are a clear statement in favor of brick-and-mortar retail. ACROSS spoke with Alexander Entov, Managing Director of Breuninger’s Department Store in Munich, about what positive experiences “made by Breuninger” look like, why there should be no separation between the offline and online worlds, and why customer feedback is ultimately the most important factor.

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Shaping Spaces: Top Placemaking Projects of 2025
Across the globe, developers and architects are reimagining what it means to create “retail space.” The projects featured in this special edition, selected by leading industry experts, represent more than just successful developments; they are blueprints for the future of how we live, shop, and connect.
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