Dec 8, 2022Something New Brewing…Hi Friends, It’s been quiet here… but I’m still writing about the wide world of experience design! I’ve just moved over to Substack here: https://experienceexplorer.substack.com/ Hop over and take a peek. Each month, I’ll be writing a new issue of ‘Field Notes’ from different experiential worlds — from immersive theater…Experience Design2 min readExperience Design2 min read
Feb 7, 2022Dreamy as a… Doorknob?Hello and welcome back! It’s Christina here, and I want to take this first newsletter of the year to look back, before we look forward. And I mean wayyyyyy back. In January, I worked remotely from Portugal and took every opportunity to explore Lisbon and Porto’s shops. My favorite? …Lisbon6 min readLisbon6 min read
Oct 25, 2021Why retail needs more monster shops (and pirates, superheroes, and time travelers)In celebration of Halloween, this month’s Cream of the Shop explores ‘monstrously’ imaginative stores. We speak to Alistair Hall, the creative mind behind Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, a fantastical shop with so much more than meets the eye. The space is a fantastic case study for how fantasy and worldbuilding…Retail6 min readRetail6 min read
Sep 27, 2021Sensational ShopsIf there is one purchase — one experience — that remains firmly in the realm of the physical, it’s perfume. Despite the spotty progress of Smell-O-Vision, it’s still impossible to explore and try perfume online with confidence. After all, our sense of smell is highly subjective and the perfume industry…Perfume6 min readPerfume6 min read
Jun 7, 2021Are we underutilizing our most valuable urban asset?A couple days ago, while strolling through central London, I was struck by a contradiction. It was early evening, with summer’s sun still lingering, and SoHo was teeming with activity. Revelers at newly reopened restaurants maximized makeshift picnic benches. Live music and theater goers were spilling out into the streets…Retail5 min readRetail5 min read
Feb 1, 2021Experiential E-TailExperiential retail refers to the shift in the industry away from purely transactional selling and toward the creation of memorable, meaningful moments. Experiential e-tail is just that, but online. Classically, retail ‘experiences’ have been mainly the domain of brick and mortar stores. In response to online competition, retailers needed better…Retail5 min readRetail5 min read
Oct 4, 2020All Retail is LocalLocal establishments have history, quirky details, and imperfections — the things that make up a personality. Photo source: Getty images To be a ‘local’ means that you belong. Supporting a local business inherently feels good. It’s like rooting for the underdog, like cheering on a close friend, like settling into…Localization4 min readLocalization4 min read
Sep 27, 2020Hitting rewind during ‘The Great Pause’In this article, I chat with Jessie Metz, a retail strategist who has worked with luxury fashion brands like Chanel and Coach to sustainability-focused, indie brands such as Lois Hazel. After a decade-long career that took her from Hong Kong to the UK, she's recently returned home to Australia to…Retail5 min readRetail5 min read
Aug 19, 2020Are Reservations the Future of Retail?Taking names and cashing in through RSVP Retail This article was first featured in The Cream of the Shop newsletter. Would you make an appointment just to pop into your local bike store or book shop? What if it meant you could skip the line, have personalized attention, and ensure…Retail3 min readRetail3 min read
Dec 31, 2018A Case for Playing More Video Games — and My Top Picks of 20182018 was the year I fell in love with video games — a somewhat surprising fact given that I’m far from the stereotypical gamer. And actually, that’s the point. I’m not a teenager. I’m not a dude. I don’t drink Mountain Dew or eat Doritos very often. I don’t even…Videogames4 min readVideogames4 min read
