The summer of outdoor commerce

And then looking forward, as we eventually exit this pandemic and slog through the economic downturn, what will convince mass consumers to move their money toward more environmentally friendly products?

The fate of the urban environment itself, along with the restaurants and retail that it comprises, will depend upon government interventions at every scale. Without sufficient aid to individuals and small businesses (and even with that aid, to a lesser degree), widespread closures will create a void in commercial real estate demand. Urban brick-and... See more

The physical locations that survive this extended pause will likely reopen with a focus on high-touch clienteling and luxury service, where shop visits are appointment-only (or tightly controlled and restricted) and oriented around consumer experience rather than pure sales.

While e-commerce is accelerating to offer multi-layered experiences for customers and brands, bricks-and-mortar stores are becoming physical bastions of extraordinary, sensorial moments.