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Search Results for: shopping center – Page 40

In a world dominated by online shopping, the role of brick-and-mortar retailers is at a critical turning point. The ACROSS Advisory Board discussion in Cannes shed light on a pressing issue – the need to re-educate consumers about the value of physical shopping experiences. Ben Chesser, CEO of Coniq, shares his view on the matter – a PropTech perspective.

Originally developed solely to meet the daily needs of consumers, shopping centers quickly became an asset class. The model worked very well for a long time, but as consumer behavior has changed, so have the requirements of tenants, operators and investors. The obvious task to satisfy customers, business partners and stakeholders is: Get your customers to return to your locations. Clear differentiation and positioning as well as a clear focus on people are crucial.

There are a variety of ways that retail companies are cleverly utilizing artificial intelligence, states Marc Giovannini, founder of Omniaz. He highlights use cases, explains the growing interest, and discusses why hyped products like the much-anticipated Apple Vision Pro may be a push toward mass adoption, but are not the breakthrough product the industry is waiting for.

In an age where businesses and consumers get bombarded with digital communications, relevant information must get to people at the right time. Any mall business that sends generic messages to its tenants or shoppers will quickly lose their interest. Digital platforms are fundamental to improving the performance of shopping malls and their tenants.

The outlet channel performs well – whatever the economic environment. Otto Ambagtsheer, CEO of VIA Outlets, is convinced that the industry’s success story will continue. Therefore, VIA Outlets will not only focus on organic growth, but on further acquisitions as well, keeping an eye on the development from the ground up. He is also convinced that omnichannel is the right way forward for the outlet industry in the long term.

Festive lighting and seasonal decorations remain key to creating the right ambience and attracting visitors during the holiday season. By collaborating with a sustainably-minded festive lighting supplier that offers creativity, innovation, and experience, centers can achieve two objectives: They can support internal sustainability targets and maintain their positions as vibrant community hubs.

“Multi Germany feels small and agile, but it enjoys all the advantages of a large group,” says Jörg-Michael Zimmermann. In Zimmermann, Multi has hired a new Head of Germany who, as a result of his mix of experience can take a 360-degree view of retail real estate. His motto is: “There are neither good nor bad locations. Every asset has specific challenges for which individual solutions need to be found.”

“Le big TamTam” is an extraordinary project in the heart of Hamburg’s city center that combines culinary diversity, entertainment, and modern shopping – all within a heritage-protected building. A colorful food market, complete with an event stage and central bar, is being developed on an area of 2,000 sq m in the basement level of Hamburg’s Hanseviertel district. Extensive remodeling work has been underway since last year. The team at umdasch The Store Makers is responsible for general contracting work and furniture construction for this flagship project.

Trei Real Estate GmbH (“Trei”) just opened the 38th retail park of its Vendo Park brand in Poland. The property is located in Konin, a town of around 80,000 residents in the Greater Poland voivodeship. The new Vendo Park has a lettable area of around 5,400 sq m, with units let to Aldi, Rossmann, Pepco, Dealz, Kakadu, Sinsay and Piekarnia Grochola. On the whole, Trei invested about 6.4 million euros in the property.

The grand opening of Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier in Hamburg, scheduled to take place in spring 2024, will mark the completion of Unibail-Rodamco Westfield’s (URW) largest inner-city development project. In an interview with ACROSS, Andreas Hohlmann, Managing Director Austria & Germany, talks about the role of retail and lifestyle destinations in modern society, the five trends that must be observed, and why size matters.

The F&B sector has changed significantly in recent years, not only in terms of the size of the market, but also in the variety and quality of the offering. As rents continue to rise in Europe, space previously dominated by fashion retailers is now being occupied by trendy gastronomic restaurants. People have evolved from collecting “things” to collecting “experiences”, and shopping centers have adapted to this change by improving and expanding their gastronomic offerings. Food and beverage (F&B) will play an even more crucial role in the success of retail real estate.

The biggest challenge facing the F&B industry is the cost of doing business. While the coronavirus has run its course through the markets, operators are struggling to return to profitability in the face of current economic challenges. Ian Hanlon, Director of Coverpoint, explains how the current challenges can be addressed and highlights trends in the shopping center food scene using best practice examples from the industry.

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.