In The Graveyard Of American Malls, Bandier Is Reimagining The Brick-And-Mortar Store
In the midst of this graveyard of malls, new retail concepts are emerging. In New York, for instance, there’s been a rise in multi-use stores. At Molasses Books, you can leaf through coffee-table books while drinking a beer. At Community 54, you can play vintage video games while buying mens’ streetwear. At Blind Barber, you can get a cocktail before you get a shave. Bandier, the two-year-old upscale activewear boutique, has recently put its own spin on the hybrid store. At the start of this year, it opened a three-story, 10,000-square-foot store on Fifth Avenue. However, only the ground floor contains racks of apparel and sneakers for sale. The entire mezzanine is a lounge space for customers to hang out, listen to music, and attend events or concerts. Go up another flight of artfully graffiti-tagged stairs, and you’ll arrive at Studio B, where well-known fitness instructors from the city, such as Nicole Winhoffer and Akin Akman, offer yoga, barre, boot camp, and dance classes for a fee. Read more at Fast Company.
