Gatewood Retail News

Gatewood Retail News

Why Solo Diners Matter for Restaurants

MORE CONSUMERS ARE DINING ALONE. CAN RESTAURANTS ADAPT TO THEIR SOLO NEEDS QUICKLY ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM COMING BACK? Original article by LIZ BARRETT FOSTER Solo travelers, single-person households, and solitary diners are making their mark on several industries ranging from consumer goods to tourism to restaurants. As consumers become busier and more stressed, even those who don’t label themselves as single are enjoying solo activities—especially eating—both at home and in restaurants. According to the NPD Group, more than half of all meals are eaten alone—a number that’s on the rise. In countries like Japan, the trend of going solo even has its own name, ohitorisama, or “on your own.” Shari Bayer has dined solo at more than a thousand…

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Gatewood Retail Real Estate Completes Two Lease Transactions On Downtown Auburn’s Magnolia Avenue

TUSCALOOSA, AL Tracy Gatewood with Gatewood Retail Real Estate has finalized two lease transactions with tenants, both located at 149 E. Magnolia Avenue in downtown Auburn, Alabama. Taco Mama Auburn has signed a 900 SF expansion from their 147 E. Magnolia Avenue location next door into the adjoining suite to accommodate a prep kitchen which will not be open to the public. Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers has signed a 2100 SF lease agreement to open an independent bookstore that will also serve coffee, wine and desserts. Owner Mike Armor, an Auburn native and Auburn University alum, along with wife June Wilcox are also owners of M. Judson Booksellers www.mjudsonbooks.com located in Greenville, South Carolina. A bookstore with a community focus,…

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The Recipe for Instagram-Friendly Restaurant Design

About 30 million Americans classify themselves as “digital food enthusiasts,” or those who use social channels to connect to food, and believe dining and tech go together like salt and pepper. That’s according to a white paper by consumer intelligence firm Maru/Matchbox, and it’s one way of explaining why so many diners—particularly millennials and Gen Z—are as invested in the likes on the creative photo they just Instagrammed as much as the food itself. Many restaurant owners and operators are eating up the social attention; some are even creating Instagram-targeted menu items. Food snaps are a big piece of the puzzle, but atmospheric shots are “definitely catching up,” says Anne Haerle of Southern California-based Synergy Restaurant Consultants. Haerle, whose graphic design and…

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Why the Nordstrom NYC Flagship Is Chasing Locals

Get out your Retail Experience Bingo cards: After 20 years in development, Nordstrom’s NYC flagship will finally open tomorrow on 57th and Broadway in Manhattan. With it, Nordstrom’s managed to pack as many retail trends as possible under one 320,000-sq.-ft. roof. For the trendsetters: It’ll carry all the classic luxury department store brands, plus rotating pop-ups for up-and-comers like Everlane and Reformation. For the beauty junkies: 14,000 sq. ft. of beauty products spread across two floors, plus services from blowouts to Botox injections. For foodies: There are seven food and bev concepts. Customers will eat it up—because food already accounts for one of every four Nordstrom purchases in stores. Nordstrom hearts NYC Manhattan is Nordstrom’s No.1 market for online sales. It’s hoping to channel that enthusiasm into $700…

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Report predicts happy holidays for brick-and-mortar retailers

Physical stores will be as busy as ever this holiday season: No fewer than 90 percent of holiday shoppers plan to shop in stores, and that rises to 97 percent when purchases made online from retailers with stores are included, ICSC reports. “[D]espite growth in online shopping — much of which is actually a result of traditional brick-and-mortar retailers’ expanding their online capabilities — physical stores remain the indispensable foundation of the consumer landscape,” notes the Industry Insights report. “The importance of these venues is even greater this year, given a solid rise in the amount of shoppers planning to use click-and-collect.” Holiday shoppers plan to spend $683 each, on average — $496 on gifts and $187 on other holiday-related…

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