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."

Revamping an Iconic Brand

The doors to the newly revamped PUMA on Carnaby Street opened on Friday, March 23rd. The PUMA brand embodies an active and healthy lifestyle. With a new active, innovative, and sustainable design to the retail environment. The store offers PUMA's performance lifestyle collections with cutting-edge technology to their customers. PUMA's strategy to revamp their stores to appeal to their customers in key markets (including Amsterdam, Munich, Barcelona and New York). Londoners will find some iconic London emblems given a PUMA twist.

The store is about 2,500 sq ft of open retail space showcasing the broad range of PUMA footwear displayed on their "catwalk" of shoes, from the iconic PUMA Suede to the PUMA Speed Cat.

Shopping is meant to be a fun experience. No one wants to have a boring shopping experience. The store has their own unique interactive features. The new PUMA Joypad is 32 synchronized digital touch screens, which allows customers to test their memory and reaction time on regularly updated games. Customers can challenge their friends to get the top score.

The changing rooms have a feature called the PUMA Peepshow. It is a red box that opens with a surprise video inside. "You never know who may be checking you out while you try on some new PUMA gear." Is that a phone ringing? Maybe you should answer it. Who's there? It's the PUMA "UnSmart Phone" and see who is on the other line. They could be calling to speak with you.

The ceiling tends to be the forgotten fifth wall. Not at the PUMA store. Look up and see the various floating images in their digital skylight. You could find yourself relaxing in the clouds or in the midst of a group of hungry sharks!

PUMA is making the shopping experience easier. There are iPads in the store to let their customers purchase products directly from PUMA's European e-commerce website. Now customers do not have to worry about not getting the color or size they want. Shopping directly through the website also lightens the customer's load. They will not be weighed down buy shopping bags. 

The Carnaby Street is a reflection of its surrounding location. From the "Mind the Gap" text on the front of the entrance ramps to the iconic red telephone boxes in the storefront facade. Customers will enjoy being in the midst of all that London has to offer.

"In line with PUMA's mission to become the most desirable and sustainable Sportlifestyle company, the new store, which was first opened in 2002, incorporates several sustainable features. Sustainable innovations include an efficient lighting concept mix resulting in reduced energy consumption, FSC certified wood and certified floor finishes guaranteeing the forest products used are from responsibly harvested and verified sources, and low-emission paint and adhesives. The structure of the existing walls [have] been left [untouched], reducing the amount of building material [waste]. These measures support PUMA's sustainability targets for 2015 and help protect our planet."