The Future. As ecommerce retail has reached its peak, the next era of retail may be hyper-local, in-person-only boutiques that craft a shopping experience. While online retail will still hit record numbers thanks to Instagram and TikTok, those looking to step out of the mainstream may fuel a localized boutique boom that mirrors Gen Z’s obsession with thrifted clothing.
Community centersPost-pandemic, many luxury ecommerce stores have been saddled with disappointing sales, falling valuations and, in some cases, closures.
That’s because online customers have endless options to find clothes at the lowest prices possible while also expecting retailers to carry everything they may be looking for — a trend that hurts new designers or niche styles.
That has opened a lane for smaller stores like ESSX in NYC, Just One Eye in LA, ANT/DOTE in Atlanta, Sportivo in Madrid, and The Broken Arm in Paris.
The allure? IRL comes first, giving customers a curated experience featuring several new designers and local styles — things harder to find online.
Additionally, they offer events, parties, and activations that build community among customers (something skate shops have been doing for decades).
Julie Gilhart, a business consultant and former long-time fashion director at the legendary Barneys, said these types of stores stock “the hardest thing to create: intimacy.”
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