Latest news with #experientialRetail
Arabian Business
24-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE retail industry to grow 5.4 per cent annually as malls evolve into lifestyle and tech hubs
The UAE retail sector is on track to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4 percent through 2028, as shopping malls across the country transform into integrated lifestyle destinations blending retail, dining, leisure, wellness, and technology. Unlike many global markets facing declining mall footfall, the UAE is seeing a renewed surge in experiential retail, aligned with shifting consumer preferences and a booming expat population. Driven by a new generation of shoppers seeking experiences over transactions, malls in the UAE have evolved beyond traditional brick-and-mortar stores. UAE shopping mall experiences Developers and brands are prioritising interiors that offer flexible layouts, emotional engagement, and seamless digital integration. In fact, 71 per cent of consumers now incorporate digital features into their shopping journeys, while 43 per cent say tech enhances their in-store experience. This transformation has been particularly important as the UAE's expat population surges, with many new residents being families in search of elevated lifestyle experiences. Complementing this, Dubai welcomed 18.72minternational visitors in 2024, up 9.15 per cent year-on-year, further reinforcing demand for compelling mall environments that serve both residents and tourists. The rise of mixed-use communities such as Dubai Hills and Nad Al Sheba reflects the country's broader urban vision. These neighbourhoods embody the '15-minute city' concept — enabling residents to access all essential services within a short walk or drive. As a result, shopping centres are now expected to function as multifunctional hubs that sit alongside schools, parks, co-working spaces, and healthcare facilities. Aligned with the UAE's Net Zero 2050 ambitions, sustainability has become central to retail design. From using eco-friendly materials to integrating energy-efficient solutions, mall developments are being crafted with a long-term environmental outlook in mind — without compromising on luxury or innovation. Specialist fit-out companies such as Abra are playing a crucial role in reshaping retail spaces to match evolving expectations. With expertise in blending luxury finishes, sustainability, and cultural relevance, firms like Abra support leading brands in delivering immersive environments that can adapt to trends and seasonal activations. The result is a retail ecosystem that's dynamic, responsive, and deeply embedded in the social fabric of UAE communities.
CNA
19-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Will leaning on tech and AI create an in-store experiential shopping experience?
CNA938 Rewind In the past two years, Enterprise Singapore has engaged over 20 firms, supporting five of them on experiential retail ideas like interactive dining and tech-powered stores. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin learn more from Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director, Services and Growth Enterprises, Enterprise Singapore.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Experiential Retail Is Transforming American Malls With Pet Groomers And Doggy Daycare, IV Drips, And Specialty Grocers
Shopping centers and malls are diversifying and getting creative to maintain high foot traffic. The days of legacy tenants such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Filene's Basement, Modell's and Party City are long gone. Instead, experiential businesses have taken their place, according to a report by CoStar News. While experiential businesses have often been associated with nail and hair salons and restaurants, the type of retailers now occupying U.S. shopping centers has diversified to cover any operation that requires an in-person visit. CoStar reports those businesses now include pet groomers and doggy day care spaces, golf simulator clubs and even an IV drip center, all of which ply their trade alongside fast food and grocery stores like Jersey Mike's, Panda Express and Whole Foods. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. The growing trend in experiential retail centers around wellness, healthcare, fitness, recreational sports, pets, and kids. According to Forbes, at the start of the year, CoStar data showed successful retail centers were able to pivot to embrace new shopping trends. This meant smaller store sizes, experiential retail, and stores that catered to their geographic location, using data to inform site selection. 'There's a shift to smaller in general – smaller formats, shorter leases, more agile environments,' Melissa Gonzalez, principal at MG2, told Forbes. 'What is the point of the store? It's not about inventory now, especially as consumers are getting more and more comfortable shopping online. We're reevaluating the point of the store and how much of it needs to be about inventory per square foot versus experience per square foot." Fitness brands such as Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU) now include fitness classes and wellness areas in their stores, Forbes reports. Outdoor shoe brand Sorel's Williamsburg, Brooklyn pop store offered customers an augmented reality experience in which they interacted with different weather conditions. Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . The COVID-19 pandemic turned the retail industry on its head. E-commerce shuttered conventional stores, and vacant spaces were filled with stores that fostered the new reality of the American consumer after the traumatizing effects of the pandemic — a greater focus on health and wellness and a place to get the pets homeowners had acquired during lockdown treated and then looked after when hybrid work conditions were imposed, CoStar reports. Equally, ethnic-style food markets, typified by H Mart, have emerged, catering to customers with a sense of culinary adventure who wish to branch out from the usual dishes they prepare at home. 'Coming out of COVID, the breadth and depth of — we don't even call them retailers anymore, it's really users — has expanded tremendously,' Doug Healey, Macerich (NYSE:MAC) senior executive vice president of leasing, said on a recent earnings call. 'So when we talk about leasing, there are the key legacy retailers. They'll always be a part of our shopping centers. But you're also looking at digitally native and emerging brands, international brands, food and beverage, restaurant, medical, entertainment, electric vehicles, fitness, home furnishings, groceries. So the uses that we have to choose from are really unprecedented today.'At the recent International Council of Shopping Centers conference in Las Vegas, a session called 'The Next Big Retail Categories' discussed emerging sectors in retail, all of which had an experiential element. These included second-hand thrift-like stores, capitalizing on the appeal of vintage apparel, especially to teens. 'Medtail' stores focusing on wellness and medical providers, exemplified by chains such as Restore Hyper Wellness, which offers drips delivering hydration, electrolytes, nutrients, and more. Spas such as Freeze & Float in Chicago offer customers the opportunity to experience hot and cold therapy treatments. 'Healthcare providers are seeking retail locations to improve patient accessibility, with location/ proximity being the second most important factor for patients choosing a provider,' commercial real estate brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) said in a recent report on medtail. 'There's a growing trend in wellness and preventative care services, especially in affluent areas, with concepts like IV drip clinics expanding into retail locations.' Read Next:Can you guess how many retire with a $5,000,000 nest egg? . Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Experiential Retail Is Transforming American Malls With Pet Groomers And Doggy Daycare, IV Drips, And Specialty Grocers originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
