ZEENAT MOORAD: Future of department stores in despair
One can’t help but take a slightly despairing view of the future of department stores
Germany’s two major department store chains, Galeria Kaufhof and Karstadt, have merged; the UK’s House of Fraser has collapsed into administration. One can’t help but take a slightly despairing view of the future of department stores. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a big fan of the format — the food halls (and shoe departments) in particular. Department store shopping is by its nature geared towards meandering. The problem is that no-one really has the luxury of meandering these days and when they do (meander, that is) they aren’t inclined to traversing up and down the escalators of a department store. So like most modern consumers when it comes down to the buying of, say, wardrobe basics, a new winter coat or work wear, it’s online shopping or a single-branded retail store where money actually gets spent. Sure, department stores are finding ways to evolve in the changing retail market — big, bland stores just aren’t cutting it. Space is being reduced for a more curated s...
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