Interactive and practical retail space pilots new emerging brands

A new concept in retail space allows retailers to rent temporary, turnkey micro-spaces in malls.

We have recently seen innovations in retail that include the world’s first ‘smart shopping’ street and a mall dedicated entirely to reselling. Now, a new store, located in Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, might be the start of a retail revolution. The Edit@Roosevelt Field, developed by the Simon Property Group, aims to create a temporary, turnkey micro-retail space for emerging brands. Retail units will range from just twenty to two hundred square feet and will come with all the retailing essentials, from custom-designed modular fixture systems, to digital media walls and staffing solutions. Brands can create temporary displays for products or services and have brand ambassadors on hand to provide product information and brand storytelling.

Zachary Beloff, National Director of Business Development for Simon, explains that the concept is, “a design-centric, experience driven, and completely transitional place to discover new product and technology in a brick and mortar space.” The store will allow digital native brands to expand into bricks-and-mortar quickly and without committing to the expense of a stand-alone store. The space also taps into the current trend for curated consumer experiences and products.

Simon has collaborated with AllWork, a technology and services platform that enables brands and retailers to manage their retail talent more flexibly to reduce costs and increase sales. According to Scott Gurfein, AllWork’s co-founder and chairman. “Brands and retailers can now schedule the right person in the right stores at the right time using the AllWork platform, resulting in improved customer engagement and service.” The initial collection will include brands such as Raden Smart Luggage, millennial-focused Skinnydip London, menswear brand Vitaly, athletic apparel brand Rhone, beauty brand Winky Lux, Beltology, handcrafted dessert maker JARS by Dani, and contemporary art gallery Uprise Art. Will a curated mini-retail space be able to help online brands move into the physical shopping space?