In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, consumers are increasingly prioritizing experiences over products. This shift, coupled with tighter discretionary spending, demands that brands rethink their experiential retail strategies. The key question has morphed from “Where are my customers?” to “What are my customers doing?” The rise of experiential retail underscores a key shift: consumers are less interested in where they shop and more interested in what they experience.
This trend forces brands to think beyond physical locations and consider how they can engage with customers at the heart of their activities. Redefined retail is offering relevant products and services in the context of where customers gather. To stay in the game, retailers and brands need to align with the cultural and experiential moments that define their customers, from the sidelines of sports arenas and glitz of concert venues to bustling airport terminals. The traditional store has been transformed into site-specific marketplaces where consumers are in the mood to buy.
Unconventional Retail Spaces
Beyond conventional malls and storefronts, innovative retail opportunities have emerged in sports arenas, concert venues, and event spaces—locations traditionally dominated by entertainment producers. These retail experiences go beyond team-branded jerseys, baseball caps and sweatshirts and offer other products and services in a sort of Las Vegas casino retail model for fans who are captivated by the moment and want to find an array of luxury goods and services.
Sports Arenas
Sports venues have evolved into multifaceted entertainment retail venues, blending live events with premium shopping experiences. Although it is not new for these venues to act as multi-purpose facilities, the ecosystem around the sites is increasingly benefitting from the halo effect.
In the U.S., mixed-use developments like Atlanta’s Battery District and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Deer District reflect how surrounding real estate can elevate the retail offering. These spaces not only cater to sports fans, but incorporate hospitality with dining, lodging, and entertainment along with various retailers. The venue activities act as a draw for experience seekers, driving foot traffic to surrounding businesses.
Most recently, the Belmont Park Village, located near the UBS Arena in Elmont, Long Island, is part of a $1.3 billion Belmont Park Redevelopment Project. Spanning approximately 350,000 square feet, the luxury retail destination will feature 150 to 200 boutiques, including high-end brands like Thom Browne, Palm Angels, and Swarovski, alongside anticipated openings from Lacoste, Missoni, and The North Face. Designed to create an experience-driven village atmosphere, the space incorporates pedestrian pathways, dining options, and event spaces, aiming to attract both international and local visitors. These mixed-use districts combine dining, entertainment, and shopping to drive traffic on game days and beyond.
Concert Venues
Like sports arenas, concert venues are evolving into spaces where retail opportunities are central to the overall experience. Concerts have evolved into significant retail opportunities, with fans eager to purchase exclusive items that memorialize the experience. Concert-goers, captivated by live performances, are prime targets for retail integration. Limited-edition merchandise, pop-up shops, and immersive brand activations capitalize on fans’ emotional connection to the artists, creating both engagement and sales opportunities. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has set records, with merchandise sales alone bringing in an additional $1.25 million per night.
Beyond merchandise, brands are tapping into the concert experience by creating immersive activations that align with the artist’s brand or tour theme. For example, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour in 2023 incorporated collaborations with designers like Balmain, leading to the launch of exclusive apparel collections inspired by her performances. Additionally, artists like Billie Eilish have partnered with major brands like Nike to release limited-edition sneakers during their tours, further blending music, fashion, and retail.
Concert venues themselves are adapting to these trends by expanding retail spaces to accommodate pop-up stores, interactive exhibits, and bespoke product launches. These offerings not only increase revenue for both the artists and the venues but also enhance the overall fan experience, encouraging repeat attendance. With the rise of multi-day music festivals and mega tours, concerts are no longer just about the music—they are immersive lifestyle events where retail plays a central role in amplifying fan engagement.
Festivals
Events like Coachella have become pivotal platforms for experiential retail and fashion collaborations. These events attract trend-conscious audiences who view festivals as opportunities for self-expression, blending music, fashion, and lifestyle. Brands capitalize on this convergence by setting up interactive pop-up shops, hosting exclusive merchandise drops, and creating immersive brand activations that align with the festival’s aesthetic.
For instance, Revolve’s annual festival—featuring curated shopping experiences, influencer appearances, and performances—highlights how fashion and retail have become integral to the festival scene. These retail experiences drive immediate sales and foster deeper engagement with younger audiences, offering brands a chance to be part of highly shareable, social media-friendly moments.
Beyond Revolve, other brands like Levi’s have also leveraged festivals for experiential retail. Levi’s immersive on-site activations at Coachella featured customization stations where festivalgoers could personalize their denim. These strategies drive immediate sales while fostering long-term loyalty among younger audiences, particularly millennials and Gen Z, who value unique, shareable experiences.
Terminals
As global air travel rebounds, airport retail is transforming into a critical hub for experiential shopping. With global passenger volumes reaching 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2023—and full recovery expected by 2024—airports are seeing an influx of potential shoppers. This has fueled a surge in airport retail sales, with the global market projected to grow at an annual rate of 11.7 percent and surpass $90 billion by 2033.
Luxury retail has found a natural home in airports, attracting high-income international travelers eager for exclusive offerings and tax-free prices. Today, more than 8 percent of global luxury retail revenue comes from airport sales, with brands like Gucci, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton establishing flagship boutiques in hubs such as Singapore’s Changi Airport and Qatar’s Hamad International Airport.
The appeal of airport retail goes beyond luxury. Airports are increasingly designed to enrich the traveler’s experience through immersive, culturally inspired environments. New York’s LaGuardia Airport, for example, integrates regional brands and local cuisines to give travelers a sense of place. My personal favorite is in India — Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2.
The terminal design integrates nature, culture, and commerce in a serene, immersive environment. Its “terminal in a garden” design encourages travelers to linger, boosting retail opportunities. By showcasing local products, crafts, and cuisine, T2 aligns with the demand for authentic, place-based retail experiences. These unique developments transform airports into lifestyle spaces where shopping, dining, and cultural exploration converge.
Digital innovation is also reshaping the way travelers engage with airport retail. Click-and-collect services allow passengers to browse online and pick up their purchases in-store, blending convenience with the tactile joy of in-person shopping. Meanwhile, duty-free shopping remains a staple, offering travelers access to tax-free prices on everything from cosmetics to luxury goods, driving both impulse buys and planned purchases.
Post-pandemic, airport retail has also benefited from a wave of “revenge spending,” as consumers indulge in luxury items and unique purchases to make up for lost time during lockdowns. Travelers increasingly view shopping as part of their overall travel experience, seeking indulgence, exclusivity, and the thrill of discovery. This convergence of convenience, culture, and experience positions airport retail as a vital player in the future of global commerce, redefining what it means to shop on the go.
Shifting the Narrative: Events Over Stores
For retail executives, these shifts are not just trends—they are imperatives. Failing to integrate experiential elements into retail strategies risks irrelevance in a market driven by evolving consumer expectations. Brands that align themselves with cultural moments—whether through sports partnerships, music festivals, or global events—position themselves as part of their customers’ most cherished memories.
The integration of retail into these experiences fosters deeper emotional connections, driving long-term loyalty. This opportunity is a key reason why several major retailers, such as Walmart and Target, announced strategies around becoming the destination for customer celebrations this year.
Moreover, blending retail with sports and entertainment provides opportunities for diversified revenue streams. From event-specific merchandise to mixed-use developments around stadiums, these models demonstrate how retail can evolve beyond mere transactions to create meaningful, memorable engagements.
The future of retail lies in understanding the rhythm of modern life. Whether it’s celebrating a touchdown, embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, or attending a concert, customers want their favorite brands to be part of their most memorable experiences. Retailers must seize this opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and elevate their offerings, proving that they are not just sellers of products but curators of lifestyle and culture. In this evolving landscape, the brands that thrive will be those that understand not just where their customers are—but what they are doing.
About The Robin Report
The Robin Report provides insights and opinion on major topics in the retail apparel and related consumer product industries. It delivers provocative, unbiased analysis on retail, brands and consumer products, and covers industry-wide issues, trends and consumer behavior throughout the retail-related industries. TRR is delivered exclusively on TheRobinReport.com. Additionally, TRR produces executive briefings and industry events.
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