Photo credit: World Red Eye
More and more consumers are choosing experiences over traditional purchases. According to the Washington Post, millennials said 52% of their holiday spending would be on experience-related purchases. Now retailers have shifted their focus to building storefronts worth the trip.
For years, the Wynwood Arts District, Miami’s hub of arts and culture, has been offering a destination for shoppers and an ideal location for thriving independent businesses of all stripes. With the highest concentration of street art in the country, Wynwood’s colorful backdrop attracts more than 1.3 million out-of-town visitors annually. Visitors have endless choices for photo ops, shopping, and dining creating a one-of-a-kind in-person experience.
Photo credit: Wynwood BID/Mary Beth Koeth
The neighborhood itself is a model for experiential retail with shops surrounded by landmarks like the Wynwood Walls curated by Goldman Global Arts, which showcases dozens of large scale murals, sculptures and paintings by world-renowned artists. The Wynwood Arcade also combines beautiful murals with boutique shops and great eateries such as The Salty Donut and Norman Van Aken’s Three.
Photo credit: Warby Parker
In addition to the neighborhood’s natural appeal to Instagram-lovers, Wynwood stores take the consumer experience to the next level. Warby Parker, online-native eyewear brand focuses on creating unique in-store experiences for consumers visiting its brick-and-mortar shops. Its Wynwood location is designed to feel like a day at the pool. The store has blue flooring striped like a lap pool and a camera in the ceiling positioned over a cement floaty where customers can have their picture taken with their new frames. Graupel, a full-service virtual fit boutique, offers customers a unique shopping experience through its 3D technology that creates custom sizes and made-to-order fashion. The showroom also hosts in-store events, such as free yoga classes, happy hour and body positivity forums.
Photo credit: Graupel
Retailers also regularly host activations and specials to create new and exciting experiences for customers. During Wynwood’s annual Fashion Night Out, local retailers partner with businesses and artists to create unique in-store activations. In 2017, Shinola partnered with street artist Atomik to create custom illustrations on purchased journals throughout the night.
Whether it’s an annual celebration, eye-catching murals, or award-winning restaurants, the neighborhood’s evolution has made it a must-see destination making locals and visitors choose the trip over a click for their shopping needs.