A Walk Down The Magnificent Mile

It has been twelve months since my last took a walk down this excellent retail street in Chicago. I was interested to see what has changed. The crowds are still there, the floral displays look as excellent as they have always done. The retailers, well many had not moved on. The inevitable sale syndrome was ever present, but some retailers caught my eye and have identified a point of difference. Shoppers want to shop, get a good deal and be entertained. The Apple Store, as always, realises that they are a playground for adults. There is not much stock on the shopfloor, but plenty of play area. Consumers are encouraged to come and play and expert team members are on hand to ensure they can be guided. This goes back to my theory that you need to out teach rather than out sell the competition. Apple in the last ten years have accumulated more wealth in the bank than the US Government, they must be doing something right. The other store that shines is a fashion store. Located right next door to Zara is All Saints. A brilliant theatre style retail store that sells fashion clothing. With that retail sector feeling the downturn worse than others it is wonderful to see a retailers in that sector creating some real theatre. They are using the nostalgia feel to get the message across. The retail area is made to look like a warehouse where the clothes are made. They then use old machinery from the industry as the display props. The result is a low shop fitting investment and a great theatrical environment. I have seen these stores in Europe and they are a business that understands the consumer and retailing at this point in time.