Entertainment Tie-ins / Licensing

Sonos, known for its “smart” sound systems, has made its bricks-and-mortar debut with an interactive store that celebrates music.     The store, in the SoHo section of Manhattan, is designed to allow visitors to listen to music — and experience Sonos products — the way they would at home. It also offers "Simple Set Up," a white-glove, in-home service that includes local delivery, set-up, and product introductions for in-store purchases.   

Hello Kitty Cafe is pretty darn cute — and popular.    Located at the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, California, the pop-up café opened on July 15, and draw such crowds that it had to temporarily close for a few hours. It’s housed within a pink shipping container that has been refurbished to feature a counter and dining patio area, complete with bistro tables and pink-and-white striped awnings. Bold character graphics adorn the exterior and interior container panels.  

Urban Outfitters, which has a history of selling products that can sometimes cause offense (at least to some consumers), has entered the presidential debate.   The chain is offering a range of merchandise criticizing Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported, including  a book of Trump quotations styled to look like Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book.   

Urban Outfitters, which has a history of selling products that can sometimes cause offense (at least to some consumers),  has entered the presidential debate.   The chain is offering a range of merchandise criticizing Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported, including  a book of Trump quotations styled to look like Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book.   

The NFL Experience has become well known as a primary attraction of Super Bowl week in the big game’s host city. Now the attraction will go permanent in a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil at 20 Times Square, a mixed-use Witkoff development that will house the 39-story Edition Hotel.  

Entertainment concepts are the future of retail fun

Retail has been the foundation of shopping centers throughout their existence, but new entertainment concepts are making inroads in traditional retail venues.

Even in mixed-use venues, it’s generally accepted that a critical mass of traditional retail is the highlight, and that other uses are complementary pieces, designed to drive traffic and support the retail component.

An influx of restaurants and entertainment concepts is changing the look of shopping centers nationwide and altering the role these centers play in their communities. It is a trend Retail Properties of America has seen play out firsthand as owner and operator of 192 retail properties encompassing nearly 30 million sq. ft.

Jeff Rubin, founder and CEO of It’Sugar, has always had a sweet tooth — and a passion for retail. Both are in his DNA. His father owned a chain of toy stores in the Midwest. After leaving the toy business, he went on to open a chain of bulk candy stores. Rubin worked on Wall Street for a while before returning home to help run the candy chain. In 1994, he left to go out on his own. He’s been on an upward trajectory since.

Experts credit Rubin with breathing new life into the candy store format.