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“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.

In today’s challenging market, how can stakeholders truly maximize value? As consumer behaviors evolve and sustainability becomes a priority, innovative monetization strategies are essential, especially in redevelopment projects. The commercial real estate sector has historically adapted to economic changes, transforming into an ecosystem in which experience, technology, and community engagement are crucial.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

“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, 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.

Retail is and always will be about four things – recruitment, transaction, fulfillment, and retention. The interesting thing is that transaction and fulfilment are increasingly migrating to the online sector. “Even though I am generalizing, and I suppose I am being slightly provocative, it seems that brands will increasingly occupy physical space for the purpose of recruiting and retaining customers,” states Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director of Portland Design.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In an era in which e-commerce has gained significant influence, brick-and-mortar retail faces various challenges. These challenges have created an opportunity to rethink and renew the conventional shopping experience. The Turkish retail world is one step ahead when it comes to experience-oriented retail. Turkish shopping centers and young brands, in particular, offer their customers products as well as experiences that go far beyond shopping. Many brands are bringing this philosophy to Europe as part of their expansion strategies.

Hardly any other word has characterized the real estate industry lately as much as transformation. It describes many different aspects and involves all stakeholders. However, one area that is often neglected is community building. We are ignoring the most critical group: the users and consumers. David Fuller-Watts, CEO of Mallcomm, explains in this interview what community building should stand for today and what the real estate industry, including proptech, needs to do to serve their communities’ changing needs.

Utopian Hours, taking place 18-20 October in Turin, Italy, is a three-day international event organized by urban knowledge agency Stratosferica, showcasing and discussing new concepts and inviting guests and audiences to suggest a new way of conceiving human evolution. Starting from the first edition in 2017, the festival aims to give for the eighth time a voice to the people behind these changes: City makers, activists, architects, and innovators share their experiences and stimulate new visions for the future and concepts of cities. ACROSS spoke to Daniele Vaccai, Project Developer at Stratosferica, about the festival, its program, and speakers.