By Kyle Backer | AZ Big Media
The ubiquity of online shopping has changed how consumers spend their time and money. But even with the ease of e-commerce transactions, there is still demand for brick-and-mortar retail experiences that can’t be replicated through a screen. For the Town of Gilbert, available land and favorable demographics has attracted new investment in both retail and mixed-use spaces that draw customers out of their homes and into the public square.
The municipality’s Economic Development Director Dan Henderson argues that, “retail and real estate matters more now than ever, both where it’s located and how it’s used. The brick-and-mortar experience is changing, starting with the design and structure of stores. As customers carry high expectations with them into the physical store, brands are contemplating convenience as the key element of their store strategy too.”
The Epicenter at Agritopia is just one example of how businesses are offering new experiences at physical storefronts in Gilbert. The development is a mix of retail and loft apartments that has brought in retailers looking to provide customers with experiences worthy of leaving the house. Upward Projects—best known for Postino and Joyride Taco House — broke ground on a new concept called Air Guitar, which will have 5,000 square feet of interior space housed under a 9,000 square foot canopy—right next door to the Epicenter at Agritopia.
