Beyond the velvet rope
Retail facade designs on the Mainstreet are outdated, evident to the eyes of the local walker, who now behaves accordingly. Curiosity marketing strategies are misused and displayed to cause the adrenaline rush of satisfaction through consumption. The theatrical staging of the goods creates a clear separation between the product and the spectator. These gestures often cause meaningless overconsumption.
Physical shopping has shifted to become a more transactional activity, lacking the sensual experience essential in the definition of tangible shopping. The hypocrisy in the function of Mainstreet retail design is that it has pushed shopping away from physical and experiential consumption and an opportunity for sentimental connection and memory.
