Retail or Mixed-Use
The impact of e-commerce on physical stores is not as negative as many believe—downtown merchants can thrive in this environment through omni-channel marketing and creating unique experiences.
A Google search for the so-called "retail apocalypse" generates more than 13 million results, but brick-and-mortar retail is growing. The data presents a more confident picture for urban and town planners, developers, investors, and merchants.
Even as e-commerce takes market share and national chain stores close, demographic shifts have created a growth market for downtown retail and mixed-use.
From the decimation of downtowns to the “retail apocalypse,” massively changing retail has been the norm for the last seven decades. Urban retail may benefit from the current transformation.
Shopability studies for two Florida cities illustrate the potential and hurdles for many American small-to-midsize downtowns.
As the retail market becomes less certain, mixed-use developers look to other ways to boost foot traffic and create a destination.
As more retail moves into cities, the suburban boxes fronted by parking lots are giving way to more walkable designs.