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Search Results for: retail opinion – Page 3

GROWING RETAILER DEMAND FOR DESIGNER OUTLETS

Designer outlets have been one of the most widely misunderstood, but strongest performing, real estate sectors in Europe over the past decade. The strong consumer demand for the outlet sector is reflected in the high levels of footfall, extensive catchment areas, and strong sales densities. In turn, strong occupier demand accounts for very high occupancy rates across quality outlets: Tier 1 assets have an average vacancy rate of just 2%.

KEEP RETAIL MOVING FORWARD

The quality of the retail offer presented by a shopping center is the route to leveraging customer preference. It is therefore key to retailer success. The art of leasing is central to our business.

Das Gerber shopping center, Stuttgart, Germany. /// credit: IPH Group

Shopping Centers In Germany Need A Narrative And A Willingness To Invest

As the potential for retailers to generate footfall themselves is becoming more limited, shopping centers in Germany need to closely examine their own management strategies, and their approach to repositioning, revealed an expert panel at the joint press conference “Outlook Retail Real Estate 2025”, as they examined the German commercial real estate market’s current challenges and opportunities.

“THERE IS A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR EVERY PROPERTY”

In an interview with ACROSS, Joachim Stumpf, Managing Director of BBE Holding and IPH Handelsimmobilien, analyzes the role of retail real estate in light of the current economic and social situation. His conclusion: “Advancing polarization is a key issue when it comes to discussing what options we have to counter the transformation in retail. Against that backdrop, we also need to rethink retail and locations. Despite all of the challenges, good and individual types of use can be found for all properties – but getting there can be painful.”

credit: IPH Handelsimmobilien GmbH///Heuer Dialog

“There is a viable solution for every property”

In an interview with ACROSS, Joachim Stumpf, Managing Director of BBE Holding and IPH Handelsimmobilien, analyzes the role of retail real estate in light of the current economic and social situation. His conclusion: “The advancing polarization is a key issue when we discuss what options we have to counter the transformation in retail. Against this backdrop, we also need to rethink retail and locations. Despite all the challenges, good and individual types of use can be found for all properties – but getting there can be painful.”

founder and publisher of ACROSS Magazine (left), and Klaus Striebich, Managing Director of RaRE Advise and Head of the ACROSS Advisory Board (right). /// credit: ACROSS, Klaus Striebich

NEVER STOP ADAPTING AND CONCENTRATING ON THE TOP PRIORITIES

As the year draws to a close, Reinhard Winiwarter, founder and publisher of ACROSS Magazine, and Klaus Striebich, Managing Director of RaRE Advise and Head of the ACROSS Advisory Board, pause to reflect on the retail real estate industry’s current state. Although 2024 has shown many positives, the two industry experts are concerned about one thing: the possibility that many industry players will not be able to keep up with the speed of change.

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.

Europa-Galerie Saarbrücken, Germany. /// credit: Sonae Sierra

Best-Practice Example: Europa-Galerie Saarbrücken — “Operators Need To Find Neighboring Tenants That Can Build Synergies”

Retail is polarizing towards the absolute top locations, among them metropolitan locations, and A-cities. There are many cases proving this but there are also exceptions – and not just any, but successful exceptions. The recent DeepTalk online-discussion took a closer look at one such exception and looked a little behind the letting and positioning strategies of the Europa-Galerie Saarbrücken in Germany, one of the outstanding best-practice examples.

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.

Will Odwarka is the Founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting. /// credit: Will Odwarka, ACROSS

Will’s F&B Insights: Opening A Restaurant In Western Europe – Are You Insane?

“It’s a fair question these days in lots of Western countries, Europe first and foremost. Running a restaurant in Europe requires a more nuanced approach than simply focusing on high revenue figures,” shares Will Odwarka, Founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting in his latest “F&B Insights” column. “The notion that success is guaranteed by sheer volume is misleading, as the current challenges facing the industry demand a deeper understanding and strategic planning,” he explains. Opening a restaurant in Western Europe may seem daunting to some, but it is essential to address the underlying issues that have been exacerbated by the recent global pandemic.

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.

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.

Sebastian Guth (left), Managing Director of 21Media, and Charlotte Andersen, Marketing Director at Rødovre Centrum in Copenhagen, Denmark. /// credit: 21Media, Charlotte Andersen

Marketing expert discussion: “We want to create asset value together.”

Marketing is under pressure: While customer behavior is constantly changing, new channels are continually being added, and budgets tend to shrink, marketing managers need to be more innovative than ever. Diamonds are created under pressure, but pressure also causes errors. Across brought together two European marketing experts, Sebastian Guth (Managing Director of 21Media) and Charlotte Andersen (Marketing Director at Rødovre Centrum), to discuss the role of marketing, error culture, shrinking budgets, and working with landlords.

Francesco Pupillo is the MAPIC Director

“GOOD SHOPPING CENTERS SEE THEMSELVES AS STAGES”

The most difficult times are behind us and retail has proven to be resilient, states MAPIC Director Francesco Pupillo. As such, this year’s MAPIC will once again be clearly focused on matchmaking and brands – especially dynamic brands that are part of experiential retail.

Andreas Löcher, Head of Investment Management Operational (left), and Roman Müller (right), Head of Investment Management Retail at Union Investment. /// credit: Union Investment

Polarization is the trend of the moment: “We’re on the lookout for polarization winners”

The retail and hotel asset classes are both geared towards the consumer, clearly benefit from tourism and are impacted by the “luxury vs. budget” polarization trend. Six months ago, Union Investment therefore decided to bring together its retail and hotel investment teams by establishing an Investment Management Operational department. The Hamburg-based investment and asset management company is targeting synergies and opportunities for its portfolio in the two property categories and considering acquisitions. Andreas Löcher, Head of Investment Management Operational, and Roman Müller, Head of Investment Management Retail, discuss the megatrends affecting both asset classes, highlight other similarities and identify locations of particular interest.

Andreas Löcher, Head of Investment Management Operational (left), and Roman Müller (right), Head of Investment Management Retail at Union Investment. /// credit: Union Investment

Polarization is the trend of the moment: “We’re on the lookout for polarization winners”

The retail and hotel asset classes are both geared towards the consumer, clearly benefit from tourism and are impacted by the “luxury vs. budget” polarization trend. Six months ago, Union Investment therefore decided to bring together its retail and hotel investment teams by establishing an Investment Management Operational department. The Hamburg-based investment and asset management company is targeting synergies and opportunities for its portfolio in the two property categories and considering acquisitions. Andreas Löcher, Head of Investment Management Operational, and Roman Müller, Head of Investment Management Retail, discuss the megatrends affecting both asset classes, highlight other similarities and identify locations of particular interest.

credits: EVATRIFFT/JOST GANTAR/FLORIAN STÜRZENBAUM/SES

FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR FOCUS IS ON CUSTOMER RELEVANCE

“We are firmly committed to continuously raising the level of our malls,” says Christoph Andexlinger. The SES CEO explains why reliability and the continuous development of quality and offers are the best paths forward and why the industry urgently needs to work together to present shopping centers as places that provide attractive working conditions and benefits, which, in fact, they are.

credits: EVATRIFFT/JOST GANTAR/FLORIAN STÜRZENBAUM/SES

FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR FOCUS IS ON CUSTOMER RELEVANCE

“We are firmly committed to continuously raising the level of our malls,” says Christoph Andexlinger. The SES CEO explains why reliability and the continuous development of quality and offers are the best paths forward and why the industry urgently needs to work together to present shopping centers as places that provide attractive working conditions and benefits, which, in fact, they are.

“Invest in people, not just the look”

The European shopping center market overvalues design and investment but needs to pay more attention to atmosphere, interaction, and service, says Will Odwarka. This hurts the centers and especially their gastronomy section. The founder and CEO of Dubai-based Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting explains in his conversation with ACROSS editor Reinhard Winiwarter why excellent, personable service is the prerequisite for everything in the field of gastronomy.

ACSP Congress 2023 /// credit: ACSP

ACSP Congress 2023: The Future Model For Quarter Development

“Quarters are not defined by their developers, but by those who use, work, and live in them”, stated Christoph Andexlinger, Chairman of ACSP, and CEO of the Austrian shopping center market leader SES, in his opening speech at this year´s congress, which focused on city and town quarters, while presenting not only new ideas, but bringing numerous examples of quarters in practice.

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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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