Shopping malls are transforming themselves to adapt to changing consumer behavior caused by mobile and online shopping, with some malls turning abandoned department store space over to grocery stores, but one cutting-edge mall is embracing brands born of the Internet.
“The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards” in New York City will open on March 15 and will feature a floor devoted to online retailers.
The Floor of Discovery will include space “dedicated to digitally native brands, experiential shopping, and food and beverage concepts,” according to Chain Store Age.
The mall is just part of Hudson Yards, a massive 18-million square foot commercial and residential development in Manhattan. Business Insider provided a look at the entire development in October.
“The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards includes 720,000 leasable square feet for fashion brands like Zara, H&M, Athleta, Banana Republic,Cartier, and Tory Burch; beauty companies like Kiehl’s, The Body Shop, and Sephora; and a 6,000-square-foot Watches of Switzerland showroom,” the publication wrote. The center will be anchored by a three-floor Neiman Marcus.
Chain Store Age quoted one of the developer’s retail specialists who said “the addition of sought-after emerging brands and one-of-a-kind experiences round out our collection of leading brands in every category from luxury to fast-fashion.”
Online-only brands have been exploring opening physical retail stores in recent years, and nowhere is that more evident than with ecommerce giant Amazon, which now operates a range of physical retail shops from bookstores to grocery stores.
Haven’t been in a mall or shopping center for years. Why would I go and waste my time with trying to park and then dealing with arrogant clerks.
We do all our shopping on mostly Amazon and Walmart, Once a week for fresh items to our local grocery store.
But then again we don’t new the newest and greatest vanity items to make us feel good.
Malls will make you sick with the public shared air.
Horrible.
there are still malls around?