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An Exercise In "What If"As we delve into this exercise of "What If", the reader should not become entangled in solution details. If the ideas have merit, details to support the solutions will evolve. Nor should the reader dismiss out of hand some of the more radical ideas contained herein. What follows is but a brief synopsis of a document that is far more detailed and extensive than can be covered in this article. Look at the renderings and enjoy the ride. magine for a moment a retail adventure unlike anything you
have ever experienced before. You are approaching a mall that is themed to look
like a mountain getaway. There is no sea of cars surrounding a massive
structure. Instead, you see playing fields, walking and jogging paths and yes,
even a golf course. This couldn't be a mall . . . but it is. Closer
inspection reveals the Once inside the mall you find yourself in a totally themed, totally climate controlled environment. The arched ceilings high above create the impression of a summer afternoon, as wispy clouds appear to float on a warm sunlit sky. There is a sidewalk cafe set among trees and overlooking a stream that meanders through the mall. A quiet place to catch your breath between forays into the retail and entertainment worlds that surround you. There are stores on varied levels, stores selected to bring you the optimum selection of products without the redundancy of stores found in some malls. Brand identity happens inside the store, nothing on the outside deters from the overall theme that is the malls' identity. The storefronts are facades that are scheduled to change on a regular basis thus keeping the mall looking new and interesting. Perhaps there is an entry fee refundable with purchase or a membership card that can be purchased that allows access to the mall. The intent of these charges would be to eliminate the temptation for parents to drop their kids off for the mall to baby sit. As you study a map of the mall you notice that there are distinct zones with
bridge areas in between. The zones are not identified by a name or a title, but
rather by the stores and activities that are found there. Purely their interests
and the location of activities to meet those The teen zone has retail stores that appeal to this age group. There is an interactive arcade that is tied to a network that competes against others all over the country. There are burger joints and pizza parlors and a non-alcoholic sports bar where parents and kids can watch a game among peers and away from the language and rituals of an adult sports bar. There is a movie theater that serves as a bridge to the adult zone. A movie theater where you dial up your movie and watch on surround vision glasses with sound coming from a listening dome located above your head. There could be twenty or thirty different movies playing in the same room, yet the sound is so directional from the domes that it cannot be heard except under the domes. The adult zone contains retail stores, live theater, and a spectrum of restaurants that runs from a five star to a simple jazz bar. A Sports Bar with sections that could be closed off for special private party's is tied to the sports club that runs the game fields and golf course. There is a "Cyber Cafe" for those who wish to stay in touch with their e-mail or their portfolios. There is an indoor driving range with putting greens and complete with golf pros to help you with your game. There are tennis courts and a billiard parlor where tournaments are held on a regular basis. There is a concierge area where attendants will direct you to or take you to stores or areas that have what you're looking for. They will even shop for you if you are short of time. There are cooking demonstrations or collector or antique shows scheduled on a regular basis. In short there are activities to hold your interest and pull you back for more. There is also a service zone complete with food store, drug store, cleaners, hair dressers, shoe repair, travel agent, bank, doctors, dentists and even a law firm. This zone is away from the central mall and closer to the surrounding road for easy in and out. Parking is underground so you never have to fight the elements and there is a central pick-up area for anything you buy in any of the stores here. Special tags attached to each of your bags insure that all your purchases are assembled in one location for easy pick-up. Or, if you prefer, they will deliver your purchases to your home for a small fee. The hotel and living zone are set away from the main mall area. The condominiums are set on two or three floors and managed by the hotel much like a concierge floor in many five star hotels. The major difference is that the condominiums are privately owned and have a private elevator system that leads directly to the mall or to a secure private parking area. The hotel primarily a conference center aimed at the businesses in the general market area, but certainly open to any other corporations that are interested in the facility. In addition the hotel caters to those who wish to spend a day or two at the mall just to get away for awhile. There is a special events and catering zone. The special events are planned on a year round basis and include things like a Dickens Village complete with Santa and a Little Peoples Shoppe. A place where children can find gifts for their parents and siblings with the help of some very friendly elves. At Halloween there is a Haunted House we dare you to visit. A trip down lover's lane or through the tunnel of love happens for Valentines Day and so it goes. Catering handles weddings and corporate and private parties in any of several themed banquet rooms. Anything from a blow out Awards Banquet to Dinner with King Arthur and his knights to a very basic wedding reception. Whatever the challenge, catering can handle it and do it completely from providing the equipment to hiring the entertainment. Our Mall interfaces with the boards of education from surrounding communities. There is a program where high school students can work in the mall and get school credit. It is a life skills program that exposes students to life in the real world. They are paid by the store or by the mall depending on where they work. Students can work in stores or in Mall operations or visual merchandising or advertising and promotion. The job they sign up for must be consistent with where their interests lie in order to be productive. The sports fields are also available to the schools for "Big" games where a larger crowd is expected. Regretfully, it's time to leave "Our Mall". We've only just scratched the surface but the details are much too involved for a visit of this type. We hope you've enjoyed your visit and are hungry for more information. There are further details and logistics not to mention supporting documents for each of the zones mentioned. The project is massive and not for the feint of heart, but we believe that it can be done and done profitably. Background The Mall of today is being challenged at every turn and on every level. Strip Centers, Catalogs, TV info-mercials, Commercials, Television Shopping Networks and the Internet are all fighting for the consumer. The logic used to develop many of today's Malls is no longer valid for the "Time Starved Consumer" of today. In order to compete in the coming millennium, current thought processes must be reviewed and challenged. Baby Boomers are racing toward retirement at a staggering rate, which translates to more people with more free time on their hands. They've anticipated "the good life" and now it's within their reach. These consumers will pay for the services and conveniences that allow them more free time to pursue their interests. At the other end of the spectrum are the "Time Starved Customers" we mentioned earlier. They too want the good life, but there are additional time constraints of growing children, the children's activities and jobs that they must deal with. Service, Convenience and Time Saving are the key words used by both of these shoppers as they tell you what they are looking for. The Internet is changing consumer attitudes with regard to what they will and will not accept as the standard of service. As they sit pounding away at the computer keys in the privacy of their own home, they are becoming more demanding, more convenience and service oriented and they're bringing these attitudes with them as they come out to shop. The premise that we started with says that the challenge for the New Mall will be to draw people to it without them thinking they are being drawn. The message from "Our Mall" will change from "Visit the Mall and buy some stuff" to "Come, spend a day or several days with us and let us enhance your life". Our Mall is a totally themed experience. For this article we chose a mountain theme, but it could have been any type of theme from a Renaissance castle to a new planet from Star Wars.
For those who are interested in pursuing this concept further and exploring with us additional details on each of the zones and the total concept, I invite you to contact me, Terry Elton, by phone at 913-268-8187, Fax 913-268-0276 or e-mail - Property of Terry Elton - All rights reserved. No part of this article or its renderings can be copied or used without written permission from the author.
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