HotelsMag March 2014 | Page 11

GLOBAL UPDATE
Regalo at SLS at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles aims to be a “ shop without walls ” where shopping can merge with dining and lounging .
the overall boundary-free flow between dining , lounging and shopping in a truly unique retail experience .”
Local flair Just as a property ’ s surrounding area might affect its F & B strategy or overall design , so too is it starting to impact retail outlets . “ It ’ s extremely important to have locally and regionally inspired
merchandise ,” Hunter says .
At the Omni Nashville Hotel , the city of Nashville , Tennessee , inspired much of the 2,800-sq-ft ( 260-sq-m ) retail space . Gibson guitars and products such as leather bags from local manufacturer Col . Littleton are featured prominently even though the store also sells the more typical T-shirts and other sundries .
“ We thought we were risking too high
a price point with a Gibson guitar or a Col . Littleton leather bag ,” Hunter concedes , “ but all the accessories around those staple branded items are the things that sell , and we ’ ve been phenomenally surprised at the success of that store .”
Seaside Luxe , a retail management firm with hotel clients worldwide such as Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro and Viceroy Anguilla , also focuses on local inspiration for both store design and merchandise . Founder and CEO Lee Ann Sauter says a common mistake she sees hotels make in their retail offerings is taking an approach that is too generic . Sauter notes , “ You have to be very specific with who you ’ re buying product for . That ’ s a great place to start — having a specific buying strategy and really doing the analysis .”
That can be a tall order , but it ’ s one a growing number of hotel companies are bound to find paying off . “ We have found tremendous success having retail complement the overall experience of our guests ,” Hunter says . “ I think you ’ ll see that trend a lot in the industry , especially when you ’ re talking about higher-end hotels .”

POP-UP

Just a few weeks before the

SHOP busy holiday season at Four Seasons Resorts Lanai , Hawaii , the hotel decided to transform a garden event space into a pop-up luxury boutique . Working with retail management firm Seaside Luxe , Four Seasons Lanai created Adore , which was constructed in just a couple days . Although the concept initially was slated to be open just two weeks , Four Seasons Resorts
Lanai General Manager Tom Roelens says the boutique has been so successful it may remain in operation for up to six months .
The 1,000-sq-ft ( 93-sq-m ) Adore offers designer brands such as Michael Kors and Badgley Mischka in addition to one-of-a-kind jewelry and other exclusive merchandise . Although Roelens won ’ t share details about the outlet ’ s business performance , he says , “ We set some aggressive goals for it , and we exceeded them .”
The success of Adore , however , is about more than merchandise , Roelens notes , especially in a resort setting where guests have the time and desire to browse and linger in a store . “ The way it is
Four Seasons Resorts Lanai opened Adore after just a few weeks of planning and a couple days of construction , but the shop has been so successful its planned run is being extended by several months .
set up is pretty phenomenal ,” Roelens says . “ It has the best ocean and sunset views . It ’ s truly something very eyecatching and exciting , and guests like to hang out there as much as shop .”
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