A radical transformation: As traditional retail declines and department stores shutter, cities are reimagining these spaces as vibrant hubs of leisure, culture, and community. From immersive entertainment in London to rooftop farms in Antwerp, this shift reflects more than just changing consumer habits – it’s reshaping urban life itself, explains Herman Kok, Associate Partner at DISCvision. Discover how tomorrow’s cities are turning shopping into experience, and malls into modern agoras.
In addition to its function as a supplier to the population, retail is increasingly taking on the role of entertainment. Concepts built around customer experience and gastronomy are now essential components of shopping centers, shows the latest shopping center report on Germany from the EHI Retail Institute.
In combination with the differentiated selection of retail and food&beverage partners, the experience, entertainment and cultural offerings at Westfield HamburgÜberseequartier create a leisure destination that is unique in northern Germany. KIBU JUMPER Adventure World takes interactive recreational activities to a new level.
Ian Sandford, President of Eurofund Group, creates places that combine shopping, gastronomy, and leisure, ensuring that everyone finds a reason to go to a center every day. He coined the term “shopping resort” as a result. After numerous very successful projects, particularly with Puerto Venecia in Spain and Ubbo in Lisbon, he is now bringing his idea of a shopping resort to the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum in Germany. In this interview, he explains what managers can learn from goldfish and why courage is more crucial than ever. He also shares his plans for the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum and his other assets.
In the 60th anniversary year, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) is crowning the success story of one of the largest shopping and leisure destinations in Germany: Westfield Ruhr Park is the third destination in Germany to bear the internationally renowned Westfield brand name, alongside Westfield Centro in Oberhausen and the development project Westfield Hamburg Überseequartier.
As part of its ambitious strategy to grow the number of sites it operates, entertainment and leisure operator, the Lane7 Group, has announced the opening of its first venue in continental Europe at The Playce, Potsdamer Platz in Berlin in September, as well as two venues opening in Dublin in the coming months. While continuing the pace of its UK expansion – with a second London venue, in Camden, opening in October – Lane7 now seeks to grow its European portfolio by some 10 venues over the next 2 years.
In recent years, leisure expenditures and household income in Austria have changed significantly. Leisure activities like dining out and entertainment have gained considerable importance in the retail and real estate sector as well.
How to combine retail and the hotel industry in practice? Riem Arcaden in Munich, Germany, is one of the best examples of how a good mix can make a district vibrant and liveable and a real estate portfolio stable. However, this best practice example also shows how tenants benefit from the mixed-use approach.
Leo’s Abenteuerpark GmbH is building a new indoor adventure world for children on an area of 4,000 sq m at Paunsdorf Center in Leipzig. The adventure park is scheduled to open in spring 2025. As part of the sector trend leisure and entertainment, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Germany and Leo’s Abenteuerpark are strengthening the location’s profile as a family friendly and experience-orientated shopping and leisure destination in the region.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) announces the grand opening date of April 25, 2024 for the mixed-use quarter in Hamburg’s HafenCity. This will mark the peak of the project development and give the city of Hamburg a new vibrant location in the heart of HafenCity – a new piece of the city that dynamically combines all aspects of life such as living, working and leisure.
The Cineplexx Westfield SCS has opened. In the immediate vicinity of Vienna, a state-of-the-art cinema experience has been created in eight months of renovation work.
The development of new outlet centers is always an exciting prospect, both for consumers looking for great deals and for developers seeking to create profitable ventures. However, an ongoing debate in the realm of outlet center planning revolves around whether leisure facilities should be an integral part of these retail destinations. Giles Membrey, Managing Director of Rioja Estates Ltd. explains the pro and contra arguments.
Shopping Malls in the USA, Middle East, and Asia are not just places to shop but have emerged as epicenters of social interaction, thrill, and recreation. Europe is on the brink of embracing this trend, says Matthias Clostermann, Owner and General Manager at Clostermann Design. Therefore, malls across the continent are inching towards becoming entertainment hubs. But there is still a lot of hesitation.
More gastronomy, sports and leisure experience for the Rhein Neckar Center in Viernheim: ECE Marketplaces is further developing the shopping center in the economically strong Rhine-Neckar region and optimizing the center’s leisure and gastronomy offer with new tenants.
“Retail has become an experiential interface, and the outlet proposition offers a key difference,” states Daniel Losantos. On the occasion of the ACROSS anniversary, the CEO of NEINVER took the opportunity to reflect on the last few years and to look ahead to the future, despite the uncertainty in which we find ourselves today.
Cain International has agreed two new leases with independents at its mixed-use Islington Square development. Between them, The Bottle Cocktail Shop and Treat Medispa will take 130 sq m in the north London destination as it continues to attract independent brands, with the retail and leisure space now approaching being 90% let.
British Land has signed nearly 2800 sq m of food, leisure and wellbeing space at Regent’s Place, its Campus located at the intersection of Camden, Fitzrovia and London’s Knowledge Quarter.
Birdies and CBRE Investment Management have announced the official opening of the golf experience, cocktail bar, and street food eatery, at Angel Central Islington.
The leisure concept from Boda Borg from Sweden is coming to Germany for the first time and will find its home in a Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) center.
Gravity Active Entertainment and Grosvenor, co-owner and asset manager of Liverpool ONE, announce plans for a 9,290 sq m active experience at the retail destination.
Planning permission has been granted for a 10,220 sq m Dobbies Garden Centre in Northern Ireland – one of the largest retail lettings in the UK and Ireland in recent years. The opening is scheduled for spring 2023.
LabTech, owners of Camden Market (London), have announced the signing of a UK debut site for Babylon Park, a new family entertainment leisure concept, at Camden Market Hawley Wharf (shopping & dining destination).
The online course at Solent University was developed with industry experts and teaches additional competencies and practical skillsets required of retail place managers.
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