Reimagining Retail: Seizing Opportunities on Main Street and in Ecommerce

This is a sponsored event by the Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education.

At no time in history has retailing—or, more precisely, the act of acquiring goods, services and experiences—been in more transformative times. For centuries, the retail experience has evolved to meet the needs of the public. And, from the time of the ancient marketplaces to the emergence of Medieval market towns, to High Streets, to Main Streets, shopping malls and modern- day mixed-use complexes all such commerce was the province of an analog world. In the short time frame of a decade this paradigm, grounded in a reality of touch, smell, temperature, varying light and perspective shared with others in a similar quest has been literally undermined, if not in some quarters attacked and replaced by new electronic realities.

But what will retail shopping look like in the post-Pandemic era, once COVID-19 lockdowns are over and people return to the wild for their shopping experiences? Now in its 26th year, this course illustrates the best practices for retail centers responding to the emerging Post-COVID era and changing lifestyles.