Bob Phibbs

Mickey Drexler Takes on Shopping Centers

January 30, 2012

FROM RETAILWIRE:
At Financo's 22nd annual Retail & Consumer Industry Seminar and CEO Event held on the first night of the recent NRF Convention, Mickey Drexler, the legendary apparel merchant, urged shopping malls to "get more creative" to reverse the weak traffic trends amid the increased discounting options at retail and online. What steps should shopping malls be taking to differentiate themselves from heightened discount competition?      [more...]

Vibrant is not a word I would use for a mall. Especially as Mr. Drexler noted with the legions of kiosks that have popped up with a bored employee holding court on their stool while customers try to avoid them. This forces attention straightforward towards the exits.

Shoppers are jaded, the browsers are congealing online, so those who go to a mall deserve to be wowed by everyone from the physical structure, the shops and most important, the employees and merch. It's a multi-headed challenge -- glad Mr. Drexler took the lead.