Apple, Inc.

When the International Council of Shopping Centers opens the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center on May 17 to retailers and shopping center attendees from around the globe, it will unveil a lineup of newly built, underway and redeveloped properties ripe for deal-making.

Leasing interest at RECon 2015 is expected to be high, this despite naysayers who have predicted the demise of the shopping mall. Not likely, say those in the know.

Bi-Lo Holdings wants to tap into its shoppers’ digital lifestyles with a 360-degree mobile app and website experience that delivers personalized coupons based customer shopping habits.

From international brands dropping anchor on U.S. shores and online players expanding in the physical space to familiar names with new formats and traditional start-ups, there is no lack of new concepts in the brick-and-mortar arena. Here’s a look at some with the biggest buzz.

TreeHouse

An Austin, Texas-based home improvement retailer with a green conscience and niche positioning is ready to branch out. TreeHouse opened in late 2011 in Austin’s Westgate Shopping Center, and has been thriving ever since.

Now that the smoke has cleared from the initial release of the Apple Watch, retailers can take a more objective look at how this latest innovation in wearable technology might disrupt customer engagement and the overall customer experience. Here are three thoughts on how Apple Watch could shift the retail landscape.

Small Screen, Big Challenge/Opportunity

Minneapolis – Best Buy Co. Inc., a founder of the MCX retailer consortium that is developing a mobile payment system called CurrentC, will accept Apple Pay in stores starting later in 2015. Apple announced Best Buy’s planned participation in Apple Pay during a call with investors.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook said the launch of the company's new watch has been "overwhelmingly positive" just as another seemingly unstoppable surge of iPhone and App Store sales helped Apple Inc. post a 33% increase in profit for the second quarter, setting a record for its best March quarter ever.

Cupertino, Calif. – Tech geeks rejoice: the Apple Watch from Apple Inc. is here. From a retail perspective, the device Apple Inc. calls “our most personal device yet” offers new ways to engage consumers, who are obtaining new ways to stay digitally connected.

Those who failed to grasp the significance of the iPhone when it launched in 2007 are not going to make the same mistake twice with the introduction of the Apple Watch –- a wearable technology device that hit the market April 24 with some well-deserved hype and considerable transformative potential.