We do receive compensation from some affiliate partners whose offers appear here. Compensation may impact where offers appear on our site but our editorial opinions are in no way affected by compensation. Millionacres does not cover all offers on the market. Our commitment to you is complete honesty: we will never allow affiliate partner relationships to influence our opinion of offers that appear on this site.
Investment Guides. Real Estate Financing Resources. Tax Resources. Real Estate Resources. Comprehensive real estate investing service including CRE. Learn more. Already a member? Sign in here. Access to timely real estate stock ideas and Top Ten recommendations.
Learn More. Real estate has long been the go-to investment for those looking to build long-term wealth for generations. Let us help you navigate this asset class by signing up for our comprehensive real estate investing guide. At this point, news of any type of store launch could be considered positive for mall and shopping center operators. Bloomingdale's is looking to expand its footprint -- but not via the typical department store model customers already know and love.
Rather, the retailer is launching a small-store concept known as Bloomie's -- the name fans of the store already commonly refer to it by. The first Bloomie's is under construction and expected to open in fall outside of Washington, D.
Giant retailers will pay a high price as well. In March , Bloomingdale's announced a temporary closure of its flagship Manhattan store. Shortly afterwards, Bloomingdale's parent company, Macy's Inc. The company slowly began to reopen stores in select parts of the country in May and June, with many restrictions in place that completely changed the way people had to shop.
Beauty consultants were no longer allowed to touch customers at makeup counters, and the staff had to wear store-issued masks at all times. Depending on the location, most customers were required to wear them as well.
Access to fitting rooms was also limited. Although it was against our will, the world has slowly and grudgingly adapted to restrictions and new ways of doing things, and that includes the ways we shop.
Online shopping was already popular for its convenience and much broader availability of products, especially those that are hard to find. Last year, Green Street analysts forecast that more than half of mall-based department stores could close by the end of And in the first part of this year, vacancy rates at "regional" and "super regional" malls reached a record But, an interesting thing started happening.
Retailers decided to take their stores outside of the mall structure. Both department and specialty stores — including Nordstrom, Victoria's Secret, Macy's and Express — have opened locations that are not mall dependent. Bloomie's is in that group, with its concept store in the middle of an outdoor shopping district. And a quick pop in to the store is part of its appeal. Instead of wading through racks of merchandise, the Bloomie's product selection is curated and meant to frequently change so customers will "find something new to obsess over each and every visit" according to the company website.
That means new deliveries are coming into the store multiple times per week. I just want to see something interesting," Adamson said, referring to the benefits of being able to swiftly take in what is new at a store. Besides traditional merchandising, customers can readily discover products on carts located throughout the store, which are designed with flexibility and trends in mind. That steady influx of products appeals to a younger demographic, according to Shelley E.
Kohan, an adjunct professor at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management and former employee of Macy's and Bloomingdale's for 17 years. And because they're creating a smaller environment, popping in and out of the Bloomie's store is quite easy and fun. Another potential draw for shoppers are various services that can be accessed at different points in the store.
Instead of a traditional cash wrap area, a front desk answers shoppers' questions and is set up to perform a variety of tasks like online pickups, returns, gift wrapping, alterations and styling.
In that area, shoppers can also access a dropbox for online returns. A QR code on a sign makes it easy for shoppers in the Bloomie's store to connect with an associate at Bloomingdale's New York flagship to discuss luxury handbag offerings.
And fitting rooms have buttons that shoppers can push for assistance. Stylists are also able to use tech to aid customers. That means they can access products not only from the Bloomie's store, but other Bloomingdale's locations and on the retailer's website as well. It's not that all of this technology is cutting edge. QR codes, for example, were invented in and have been used by retailers in the decades since, but gained widespread popularity during the pandemic.
Rather, it is the right mix of technology being employed in the right situations, according to Kohan. While tech and convenience play an important role in the store, services that make a shopping experience feel personal are also emphasized.
One service that lends itself to personalization is the location's monogramming station. Customers are invited to stylize their apparel through monogramming, embroidery, alterations or patches. This is similar to the Levi's Tailor Shop, which customizes products with sewing, pins and patches. The in-store service allows a shopper to easily add their own touch to apparel. But, the biggest nod to a more personalized shopping experience is that every associate at the Bloomie's concept is a stylist and an expert in all categories of the store.
That takes something from merely being transactional to relationship-building, according to Kohan. Many legacy retailers are getting that message. Macy's last year introduced both virtual and in-person stylist appointments.
0コメント