EXPERIENTIAL SPACES

Experiential Spaces' Westfield Stratford London

Experiential Spaces' Westfield Stratford London

Westfield's Success

If you haven't been to Westfield's premier properties here, you haven't been to the new London. According to the London Financial Times, Westfield's two London centers reported soaring sales in the first quarter of 2012. Steven Lowy, CEO at Westfield said that together the two centers attracted 8.5 million customer visits who spent about 1.8 million pounds.

Westfield London, a center with 265 shops and 50 eateries opened in west London in 2008. The newer Westfield Stratford City, opened in September 2011 on the city's east side. Stratford City is adjacent to the 2012 Summer Olympics' stadium and park. Visitors can stand on level three of the center and see “The Orbit,” the vertical pillar that promises to remain an attraction long after the Olympics. Everything about these two centers, with their large billboards and enticing retail concepts, says mega mall (Atkinson, 2003, pp.1829-43).

There has been a lot of buzz in the specialty retail community about Westfield's choice to introduce temporary kiosks as opposed to RMUs in these centers. Westfield's commercialization programs are maximizing revenue by shifting to kiosk formats and betting retailers with more inventories can generate more sales and therefore pay more rent. What's been most striking about this shift is the willingness of kiosk retailers to pay for a custom-designed kiosk. Bill Moss, General Manager, Mall Retail & Experiential, believes this philosophy of moving the kiosk capital costs to the retailer, is dead on. He also believes that RMUs “have done their time in the UK.” The center's custom kiosks, operational standards and quality of products are evident, one design outdoing the other (Atkinson, 2007, pp.96).

Westfield's common area programs in London are certainly not an afterthought—they are designed for the needs of each center. During Westfield London's design process, the development team did not want to block storefront sight lines; hence no roofs are allowed on any units in the common area. “Westfield has been a driving force for commercialization in the UK. We've been given an amazing canvas and even though we are (Westfield London) five years old, it has not aged,” Moss said. “Though other specialty retail programs are less developed, we created a model for specialty leasing that fits the shopping center (Bannister, 2006, pp.919-37).”

Moss worked as a Clear Channel Outdoor Advertising executive and he has the dynamic personality of a “get-it-done-now” manager. His title now, General Manager, Mall Retail & Experiential, perhaps best describes what his job really entails. Moss has a broad vision of the common area—overseeing retail uses, experiential marketing and sponsorship. With a 17-member team to support these activities throughout the UK, Moss understands how to value, price and sell retail, marketing events and sponsorships. He is very proud of his team, saying they “debate every deal brought to the table (Boyle, 2011, pp.587).”

Westfield's UK programs carefully zone kiosk placements according to where retail, services and food are appropriate. Unique uses are merchandised to complement permanent inline ...