Retail and Restaurant Trends for 2011:

New tech and old concepts, modernized,  bringing more consumers back in 2011.

by David Ringler

The U.S. Census Bureau reported this month that retail and food service spending in December 2010 was up 7.9% over December 2009, and that annual spending increased 6.6% from 2009 to 2010. The positive outlook for 2011 has been fueled in part by a more engaged, a more social, and a more technologically connected consumer. Davis Wince’s observations of the retail  and restaurant scenes in 2010 have led us to believe that several trends, which gathered momentum during the past year, will have the greatest impact in 2011.

We discuss a few of these trends below, but more importantly WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU… What trends do you expect to succeed in 2011? What are you doing to engage your customers and add more value to your consumer relationship?

 Intelligent Store Signage

“Proximity marketing,” broadcasting of localized wireless advertising within a 300-foot radius, emerged last year as a way to lure customers in, direct them to featured products, and close the sale. In-store Bluetooth broadcasting equipment sends information, text, images, audio or video, to smartphones or other Bluetooth-enabled devices within range of the server. By integrating proximity marketing with digital signs, messages can be matched to individual consumer interests or demographics.  This technology is being pioneered by firms like iMedia.

Excitement, Engagement, and Entertainment

“E-retailing” no longer stands for e-commerce.  America’s love affair with technology is reaching its pinnacle in retail and dining as entertainment.  In the Disney store prototype that is rolling out this year, excitement, engagement, and entertainment converge with the “Magic Key” kiosk that shows 3-D views of all Disney Store and DisneyStore.com products. The “Magical Mirror” (pictured left) plays animated scenes, and speaks directly to young guests when they wave a magic wand in front of it.

And chains such as the California Pizza Kitchen are piloting new technology like the Ziosk, which allows diners to interact with entertaining touch screen menus at the table, place orders, and even split the bill and pay the tab.

Resurgence of Pop-up Stores and Food Carts
No longer a seasonal phenomenon, pop-up retailing emerged as a hero in economic hard times as a way of combating multi-year lease requirements and construction build-out costs.  Landlords benefitted because of the glut of empty retail space unprecedented in recent history.  The Times Square’s Pop Tarts store raised the bar for energizing a brand through pop-up retailing. The concept included a Pop-Tarts café where personal chefs respond to customers’ requests to build custom snacks, and a touch screen vending machine, the “Varietizer,” featured 23 varieties of fruity treats.

The Food Cart, pop up retail’s culinary cousin, is inspiring reality TV producers and entrepreneurial chefs alike. A 52 page study completed by the Urban Vitality Group in Portland, Oregon highlights the  positive impact these dining concepts have on local economy and neighborhood vitality. Davis Wince is currently partnered with food cart owner Jim Pettinger to translate his Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs cart concept into a traditional restuarant operation.

What trends are YOU watching in 2011? We want to hear from you, so please share your comments below!

Davis Wince believes that engaging design and on-site branding drive effective architectural solutions for the retail and restaurant industries. To discuss restauarant and retail trends for 2011, or to review specific projects, contact Jennifer Bobbitt at jbobbitt@daviswince.com

By JBobbitt on 1/28/11, In Feature, Retail, Technology, Tags food carts, iPhone apps, Pop up retail, Proximity Marketing, Restaurant Design, Retail Design