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Enough of the “retail is dying” narrative that has dominated so many headlines the past few months. It’s way overplayed.

Brick-and-mortar is evolving, not dying. And it’s full of exciting new players — many of them digitally native — that are infusing the industry with something it can always use: new blood. Here’s a quick rundown of some of these newcomers to the physical space:
Four Steps to Prep for ‘Mobile 2.0’
Just when the industry is getting its arms around mobility, an evolution is underway. It’s being referred to as Mobile 2.0, and it’s all about moving away from static — even batched — information, and about retailers getting more interactive with mobile users. With shoppers wanting to be able to quickly browse merchandise availability, check their loyalty status and redeem rewards on their smartphones, mobile apps need to be as interactive as possible.

A Heated Matter

Excessive heat gain and sun glare through store windows can create challenging situations for customers as well as store associates. James Beale, managing partner of NGS Films & Graphics, discusses trends and tech advances in window films withChain Store Age.
What trends are you seeing in solar films and safety/security films in the retail space?
Walmart Reimagines the Store Experience

Technology prominent in discounter’s “next-gen” store concept
Walmart is testing enhanced features and technologies designed to appeal to today’s digitally driven lifestyles in two new supercenters — one in Tomball, Texas, and one in Lake Nona, Fla.
Swire’s U.S. Statement

As striking as is the interior of Swire’s Brickell City Centre, where every turn of every corner is a possible photo for Architectural Digest, it’s the parking garage that impressed me most.
SHOP TALK

Trending Stores: No two stores are exactly alike at Warby Parker. But the popular eyewear company’s new store in Los Angeles, above, is a particular standout for its celebration of Hollywood’s moviemaking history. The store combines Warby Parker’s signature library-style design and fixtures with such location-specific elements as a classic movie theater-styled marquee with rotating titles, a Hollywood-themed mural, and a display of movie clapboards behind the checkout.
Smarter Data Management Helps Retailers Compete

Chain Store Age recently spoke with Hiro Yoshikawa, CEO and co-founder of Treasure Data. He discussed how a new level of customer data analysis can improve the customer experience.
How has unified commerce and digitally influenced retail stepped up the game on data management?
TreeHouse Branches Out

Home improvement start-up is dedicated to healthy, sustainable homes
A start-up home improvement retailer with a green conscience has expanded out of its Austin, Texas, home with a first-of-its-kind store that’s generating lots of buzz.
TreeHouse has opened the nation’s first home improvement “energy positive” (meaning it will generate more energy than it uses) store, at The Hill, a shopping center in Dallas. It’s the start-up retailer’s second location — but not for long. An additional store, planned for the Plano, Texas, area, is due to open this fall.
Top 10 Retail Center Experiences

The Electric Daisy Carnival drew 130,000 young people to Las Vegas on its final day last year. This summer, Billy Joel will sell out his 43rd concert at Madison Square Garden, where floor tickets sell in the $200 range. No matter the age or inclination, people still want to leave the house and be with other people. They just need a really good reason to do so. Here are 10 retail centers that have some of the best reasons:
Project Profiles

The Neighborhoods at Butler

Location: Gainesville, Fla.

Size: 2.1 million sq. ft. (1.75 million sq. ft. with an additional 350,000 sq. ft. under development)

Developer/Owner: Butler Enterprises

Grocery anchor: Publix (West), Publix (Central), Trader Joe’s, Aldi, plus sizeable food components in Walmart, Sam’s Club and Target. Adding Whole Foods to anchor Butler Town Center (under construction with a planned opening winter 2018).
Spotlight on The Tile Shop

With home remodeling and housing starts on the rise, The Tile Shop is in a sweet spot. The specialty retailer of manufactured and nature stone tiles reported an 8.8% increase in net sales and a 4.9% increase in same-store sales for its first quarter. With 130 stores in 31 states, The Tile Shop displays its tiles in a showroomlike environment that includes full-room tiled displays and a design studio where customers can utilize 3-D renderings to visualize their design ideas.
Food Feeds Retail

The challenges of physical retail have inspired new concepts and new entrants to the supermarket business in America