RECon 2018 and the Retailtainment Movement

RECon was held May 20-23 in Las Vegas, and this year’s show was a huge success! PLAYTIME is excited to have been among the Global Retail Real Estate Convention’s 37,000 professional guests in attendance. During this ultimate gathering for retail real estate pros from all over the globe, industry leaders shared strategies and brought to life the future vision of retail.

Diversifying Retail Tenants

Experiential retail was the dominant topic of conversation at this year’s event, and the trend toward a diversified tenant mix is still central to the industry vision as well. Mall diversification beyond retail means operators are moving beyond apparel stores clustered around anchor stores to create a mix of leisure and entertainment venues, gaming and virtual-reality concepts, art installations, business services, and other nonretail uses, such as medical centers and learning centers. This trajectory has become the birthplace of retailtainment. A provocative blend of shopping and entertainment, retailtainment entices contemporary consumers into stores by offering the unique and memorable experiences they crave.

Retailtainment Builds Communities

When tenants leave a retail space, it can sometimes start a sort of carousel of failing businesses parading in and crawling out. Instead of keeping this carousel going, the retailtainment trend encourages developers and retailers to fill the spaces with entertainment opportunities, such as that of a play space. A play space can transform a fading retail center into a thriving community space while attracting consumers into neighboring tenant retailer shops, keeping community dollars within the community. PLAYTIME was able to create a buzz about this concept among the RECon attendees. Our digital interactives and our new and innovative play area designs drew the intrigue of retail developers, and we walked away from the event proud of our success and the impact we are having on the industry.

PLAYTIME Embraces Retailtainment

PLAYTIME pioneered the concept of indoor play, installing its first play area in the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver, Colorado, in 1998. 20 years and thousands of hand-crafted, uniquely-designed play areas later, PLAYTIME has become the commercial standard for businesses who want a distinctive family experience that can drive sales and build brand image. We don’t take this honor lightly and are continuously looking for newer and better ways to improve. And we are ready to embark on a new frontier in helping to diversify the retail industry and serve as a part of your community space.

Read more at playtime.com