• The ‘retail apocalypse’ is a myth, and that's good news for the shopping industry and downtowns

    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.
    This is one of a series of ongoing Public Square articles on the market, technological, and cultural transformation of the $5 trillion retail industry—and how it relates to a continued shift toward walkable, urban living. It is essential to debunk the myth of the “retail apocalypse” and change the...Read more

  • A brief history of 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.
    This is one of a series of ongoing Public Square articles on the market, technological, and cultural transformation of the $5 trillion retail industry—and how it relates to a continued shift toward walkable, urban living. In the beginning, we built beautiful main streets and downtowns, and we all...Read more

  • Experience is the new buzzword for walkable town centers

    As the retail market becomes less certain, mixed-use developers look to other ways to boost foot traffic and create a destination.
    Online retail sales are having a mixed impact on urbanism. Downtowns are thriving, but many walkable mixed-use centers in the suburbs are struggling, says retail expert and urbanist Bob Gibbs of Gibbs Planning . Some mixed-use developments are focusing on “experience” to create foot traffic and...Read more

  • How density and proximity are transforming retail

    As more retail moves into cities, the suburban boxes fronted by parking lots are giving way to more walkable designs.
    Big changes are taking taking place in retail, and not all of them have to do with online sales—which account for no more than 10 percent of total sales . A big shift has to do with the success of smaller, urban format stores like CityTarget opening in walkable urban locations across the US. People...Read more