Re-Thinking Retail: Anti-Malls

"People today want to have more of a relationship with their purchase. Creating an environment for communication and interaction will allow retail to act as an agent for social change with the SoCal community, beyond weekend farmer's markets and evenings out in the surrounding affluent neighborhoods," says Shaheen Sadeghi. Sadeghi spent almost 20 years building a successful career in the sportswear retail industry. He was the president of the world renowned  brand Quicksilver, executive LABve vice president at Gotcha Sportswear, and merchandise manage at Jantzen/VF Corporation. Sadeghi successfully created "community-oriented" retail shopping centers in Southern California; the LAB and the CAMP.

"When I started my career in retail, I saw a lack of community. There were only large air-conditioned boxes sprawling around Orange County," says Sadeghi. "I was 20 years old with a surfing industry background, frustrated with the limited retail spaces I had available." The traditional mall has become of a large box with many stores inside. In today's society, people are interested in having an unique shopping experience. This need for and unique and individual experience has people flocking to anti-malls.

The LAB Anti-Mall

It all began in 1992 when Sadeghi built the LAB (Little American Businesses) Anti-Mall. The LAB is an Orange County, California retail destination with the urban youth in mind. Orange County was on the brink of bankruptcy, Shadeghi transformed his first Bristol Street venue into a lively, arts-focused indoor-outdoor retail and restaurant mecca. "I'm selling culture, not fashion. We're moving away from being a 'mass nation' to a 'niche nation,' declares Shadeghi--who believes we're currently experiencing a paradigm shift where consumerism is based on smaller, niche interest groups rather than everyone chasing the same ideal.

The CAMP

In 2002, Lab Holding opened the CAMP retail complex. The CAMP caters to eco-conscious Orange County families, environmentalists and outdoor-sports enthusiasts. There a great environmental conscious features like a grass roof, on site watering system of the grounds, use of California redwood trees and indigenous landscaping. The award winning venue showcases like-minded, one-store retailers and restaurants, which target healthy living in an unique, green-oriented environment. "Sadeghi labels his ventures as “retail activism” but is keen to emphasis the link to “real things beyond just a philosophy” as part of his long­term vision. He reiterates his belief in the capacity of innovative retail areas to affect both social change and provide positive business results for retailers such as The SEED People’s Market – a shop dedicated to handmade, sustainable and local products plus a full­stock of leading brand Patagonia (of which it is consistently the largest seller of the major brand’s products outside of the Patagonia home stores). It also hosts classes, such as jewellery making in an upstairs workshop setting, and a monthly Handmade Fair. Since initiating these kinds of activities, the store has also seen an overall 45% increase in sales."