The Internet empowered us to find our tribes. Retail isn’t keeping up.

I’m intrigued with the modern version of a country club. I think of concepts like Soho House or the Wing as “urban country clubs”. These membership businesses gather communities of like-minded people. They create repeat traffic and have demographic and psychographic desirability in their members. These communities are powerful because if they endor... See more

Perhaps the demise of traditional retail and media can be explained by the Internet offering better alternatives for curating your own community of like-minded people/products and removing most of the friction around connecting.

But at some point, like an online dating flirtation, if you are excited about a brand or product, you feel compelled to visit it in person. Tell-me eventually leads to show-me. And that is why the role of brick & mortar is still important. It is the physical and personal manifestation of the community.

This is space that multi brand retailers like department stores should own. They should have the credibility of the high taste of their merchant team (see Barney’s circa 2005) combined with the best staff dying to find you that perfect black tote.

Here’s the problem with online shopping. It is great if you know exactly what you want. Google, black Hermes Birkin bag and you’ll find numerous ways to purchase one. However, try Googling “luxury tote” and you’ll end up in a black hole of frustration.

The Internet empowered consumers to find their tribes. They choose which content to interact with, they tailor their media based on their real friends, aspirational friends, values, aesthetics, etc., they share their opinions on global platforms and they seek out the products, people and brands that align with their view of themselves.