We keep hearing the phrase retail is dead, which is not  surprising when we see dead malls across the country. It seems like department stores can’t compete with the online shopping world.

We just saw Aeropostale file for bankruptcy in May; American Eagle, Chicos and Finish Line are planning to close stores and even Macy’s just announced they are  shutting down 100 locations. 

Is it the speed of amazon’s shipping? The convenience of price comparison or maybe the excitement of anxiously awaiting a package. 

All of the above are valid reasons, but at the same time is retail really dead? I don’t think so, there are many online companies that are taking to off line showrooms, look at companies like Warby Parker, Nasty Gal and even Amazon is launching some brick and mortar stores. 

According to the Wall Street journal “millennials want hipper and more happening lobbies and restaurants and better technology in rooms”. 

So what’s the fun of going to stores that are just the same as all the others in the chain, when I can cruise through multiple brands through the internet in the convenience of my couch. 

The irony is that when R.H. Macy first started in 1858 he was known for his creative merchandising, so where did they go wrong? 

Retail has been repurposed, it is no longer a place to go buy necessities but rather a place to experience the brand, to engage with their why, touch and feel the product and build a connection with the brand. 

One example is Nordstrom’s in Chicago recently placed a fully stocked bar in the men’s department other companies have taken to experiential pop up shops.


So retail is not dead, it’s just getting more exciting, the innovative will survive and thrive.