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Over the past decade, the retail landscape has undergone a seismic transformation redefining the very essence of the sector. Customers’ expectations of convenience, personalization, experience, community, and sustainability have changed dramatically. The purpose of physical stores is being redefined, with goods and products taking a backseat to experiences. Today, successful retail destinations are those that cultivate connection, joy, and community.

Thanks to their diverse mix of tenants and sectors, today’s shopping centers are more than just places to go shopping: They’re experience destinations and community hubs that enjoy a great deal of popularity – as illustrated by ECE Marketplaces’ latest success figures. Entertainment concepts have increasingly become attractive complements to and additional drawing cards for the respective locations, as current ECE center portfolio examples show.

The food hall market in Europe has seen significant growth and transformation over recent years. In less than a decade, the number of European food halls has almost doubled, with the UK, France and Italy leading the pack. Despite a pandemic and cost of living crisis across the continent, landlords and operators are seeing the benefit of the flexible model for our ever-changing modern world. There’s even been some new openings since C&W released our ‘Food Halls of Europe’ report in July 2024, including Time Out Market in Barcelona and Mercato Metropolitano in Ilford, London.

The Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum (RRZ) in Mülheim, Germany, has gained a new anchor tenant: leisure provider ADVENTICA. The owners of the center, Eurofund Group and Signal Capital Partners, have now signed a long-term lease for 3,300 sq m of space. The opening of ADVENTICA’s first German location is planned for the second quarter of 2025, while renovation work will begin in early October.

As part of its ambitious strategy to grow the number of sites it operates, entertainment and leisure operator, the Lane7 Group, has announced the opening of its first venue in continental Europe at The Playce, Potsdamer Platz in Berlin in September, as well as two venues opening in Dublin in the coming months. While continuing the pace of its UK expansion – with a second London venue, in Camden, opening in October – Lane7 now seeks to grow its European portfolio by some 10 venues over the next 2 years.

Fiba Commercial Properties, a leading investor in commercial real estate in Turkey, Europe, and the Far East, continues to distinguish itself with remarkable achievements. Notably, its İnegöl AVM and Downtown Bursa Life and Entertainment projects have made a significant impact, earning spots as finalists in the prestigious Global RLI Awards 2024—one of the highest honors in the retail and entertainment sector.

In recent years, leisure expenditures and household income in Austria have changed significantly. Leisure activities like dining out and entertainment have gained considerable importance in the retail and real estate sector as well.

Ten years ago almost on the day, Time Out Market Lisbon opened its doors to the public as the world’s first editorially-curated food and cultural market. It was the culmination of an idea from Time Out Lisbon’s editors to bring their ‘best of the city’ ethos to life and together under one roof: a curated mix of the best chefs, restaurateurs, drinks and cultural experiences. To date, Time Out Market Lisbon — a highlight of the first ACROSS Study Tour in 2023 — has welcomed over 35 million guests, making it one of Portugal’s most popular destinations and sparking a global foodie phenomenon with currently eight Time Out Markets around the world spread across four continents.

Following a customer-centric approach, the ‘BOLD’ strategy carried out by ROS Retail Outlet Shopping across its entire portfolio reached full potential in 2023. The operator’s average sales soared by +16.5% across the portfolio in 2023, fuelled by an enriched brand mix, a stronger shopping experience and the ability to adapt to evolving market conditions.

Despite a challenging market environment across the board, the Tyrolean lighting artists from MK Illumination were able to achieve some real highlights this year. With revenue estimated at 165 million euros, the globally active company will have had the most successful year in its history once again.

It is a complex task to ensure project profitability. There is a struggle between doing what is right and what is reasonable. As an expert in the world F&B development Will Odwarka, founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting, states in his newest column: “However, in an ever-growing and competitive landscape, it is crucial to establish distinguishing factors that are recognizable and embrace them wholeheartedly.”

The European shopping center market overvalues design and investment but needs to pay more attention to atmosphere, interaction, and service, says Will Odwarka. This hurts the centers and especially their gastronomy section. The founder and CEO of Dubai-based Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting explains in his conversation with ACROSS editor Reinhard Winiwarter why excellent, personable service is the prerequisite for everything in the field of gastronomy.

F1® Arcade, the world’s first official Formula 1® simulator racing experience to put socializing at its core, and the first-of-its-kind experiential hospitality concept; is coming to MAPIC from 28th to 30th November in Cannes.

Shopping Malls in the USA, Middle East, and Asia are not just places to shop but have emerged as epicenters of social interaction, thrill, and recreation. Europe is on the brink of embracing this trend, says Matthias Clostermann, Owner and General Manager at Clostermann Design. Therefore, malls across the continent are inching towards becoming entertainment hubs. But there is still a lot of hesitation.

The European shopping center market overvalues design and investment but needs to pay more attention to atmosphere, interaction, and service, says Will Odwarka. This hurts the centers and especially their gastronomy section. The founder and CEO of Dubai-based Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting explains in his conversation with ACROSS editor Reinhard Winiwarter why excellent, personable service is the prerequisite for everything in the field of gastronomy.

“Retail has become an experiential interface, and the outlet proposition offers a key difference,” states Daniel Losantos. On the occasion of the ACROSS anniversary, the CEO of NEINVER took the opportunity to reflect on the last few years and to look ahead to the future, despite the uncertainty in which we find ourselves today.