PLACEMAKING IN RETAIL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A DUAL-INCOME FAMILY By Megan D'Albora
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s I pull into daycare, I prepare myself for the challenge and start strategizing. I know my two sons will be exhausted from their stretched attention spans and, with only two hours to spare before bath and bedtime, I know our evening will be rushed. We pile into the car and suddenly a wave of dread hits me square in the face - we’re out of milk! This means our usual 15-minute car ride will include a 30-minute stop that will result in my watch telling me to “breathe” multiple times throughout. As we pull into the store parking lot, my youngest starts complaining about being hungry while the oldest is moaning about wanting to play Mario Kart. I quickly assess the situation and, unfortunately, milk is a must-have. I make a beeline for the aisle, all while steering the kids away from anything that could prolong our time in the store. After multiple bribes to leave the store I had bribed them to go to in the first place, we set out on the final stretch home. We are now 45 minutes into the precious two hours we have together on weeknights and our patience is long surpassed. Exhausted? Me too. That’s why Amazon works. For our family it is the ease of free home delivery of everyday items that minimizes an already crazy work week. Free home delivery, discounts for automated monthly bundles, and access to endless products add to the success of online retailers in general. Who doesn’t want paper towels automatically delivered without having to remember to purchase them each month? But with all this convenience and just-in-time delivery, there is still one thing Amazon and, so many other e-commerce retailers, is lacking - a memorable, engaging experience that offers a sense of place and a sense of community.
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Beyond Retail
Placemaking for retailers serves as an antidote for the online epidemic. My husband and I have two short days with our boys before the next whirlwind of a week starts. That means our weekend plans are a combination of getting ready for the next work week and enjoying our time together. If a retailer can offer a way for our entire family to enjoy quality time together while accomplishing an errand, sign us up! What is placemaking exactly and how does it shape our retail interactions? As outlined by CBRE’s “Global Retail and Placemaking” report, there are five key elements to successful placemaking: Leisure, Technology, Sustainability and Wellbeing, Vertical Retail and Planning. Leisure relates to anything that “offers a place for visitors to sit, visit, or eat.” This is probably what comes to mind first when thinking of placemaking in retail. It could be a small park, a restaurant you have been wanting to try, or even an outdoor concert series. The use of Technology in retail can be a tool to help integrate the shopping center into the customer’s ‘everyday technology’. I can open my saved Pinterest boards while in the store to check my purchases against what I am attempting to replicate. Social media is a means of how a customer can remain connected to the retail center even from the comfort of their own home.
