Dave & Buster’s latest location at Ellsworth Place in downtown Silver Spring, MD – just opened November 21st -- provides a destination for holiday shoppers that the whole family can enjoy. Shoppers’ interest in social and entertainment options like Dave & Buster’s is underscored by a recent large-scale survey by Petrie Richardson Ventures (PRV), owner-developer of Ellsworth Place. The survey reveals insights about the holiday shopping season and how the social and entertainment features of the retail environment motivate shoppers to visit “bricks and mortar” retail outlets over online purchasing.
“What we are seeing this holiday season is that shoppers appear as likely to make holiday purchases online as in stores – which underscores the need for retailers to be aggressive and creative in attracting shoppers into the bricks and mortar environment,” said Terry Richardson, president and COO of PRV. “Dave & Buster’s typifies how traditional retail can leverage entertainment and social aspects to motivate consumers to do their holiday shopping in a mall environment. Especially in the holiday season, shoppers are looking for shared experiences that the whole family can enjoy.”
The new 40,980-square-foot Dave & Buster’s is the company’s second location in the region and is the largest retail tenant at Ellsworth Place.
The survey of more than 1,000 Americans over the age of 18 revealed what shoppers value most about retail experiences at malls and shopping centers is the actual physical experience and social and entertainment aspects of the retail environment versus the detached experience of online shopping:
75% felt getting out of the home or work environment was important
57% preferred being in a stimulating environment
55% desired shopping with friends or family
Survey respondents also cited the importance of having a range of unique, available retail options as motivators to shop in “bricks and mortar” outlets:
84% consider access to a wide variety of stores and products as important
69 % value the active discovery of new stores and products in the retail environment
66% are motivated by new products only available in stores
More than four out of ten – especially Millennials -- want to use more technology in shopping in the “bricks and mortar” store environment:
54% want to use smartphone apps for on-the-spot discounts
43% want to use apps to search inventory and 39% to locate products
71% of Millennials are motivated by wifi access.
“We designed our properties – Ellsworth Place– to address desires for numerous and varied retail options that shoppers want,” continued Richardson. “Our diversity and range of options continue to further increase with recent tenant additions like MOD Pizza, Dave & Buster’s, Rue 21, Kung Fu Tea, Shoe City and Not Your Average Joe’s.”
“Ellsworth Place provides patrons with complimentary Wi-Fi internet accessand our major tenants now have the mobile apps that tech-savvy consumers seek,” added Richardson.
PRV’s Ellsworth Place, a 350,000-square-foot indoor retail center, recently fully leased its anchor tenants with Burlington Coat Factory, Not Your Average Joe’s, Dave & Buster’s, Guitar Center, Marshalls, Michaels, Ross and T.J.Maxx. In addition to the gaming featured at Dave & Buster’s, Ellsworth Place’s future tenant Guitar Center plans on incorporating live in-store events.
The online survey of a demographically representative of 1,018 Americans 18 years of age and older, with more than 75 separate questions, was conducted June 30 to July 3, 2016 by ORC International, one of the American Marketing Association’s Top 50 Research Firms.
About Petrie Richardson Ventures
Petrie Richardson Ventures (PRV) is a retail developer in the Mid-Atlantic region with a national reputation for creating successful retail centers and exciting mixed-use properties. Chairman, Walt Petrie founded PRV in 2000 and the firm currently operates Ellsworth Place in Silver Spring, MD, and Woodmore Towne Centre in Glenarden, MD, in JV partnerships with institutional capital partners. For more information, visit www.petrierichardson.com.
