The Brick-and-Mortar Ecosystem

More Than Meets the Eye

Brick-and-mortar has withstood the test of time; it’s the why that keeps this space dynamic and afloat, even in the face of challenging economic times.

We think much of this dynamism comes from the diversity of offerings found in the brick-and-mortar space. Below are three types of brick-and-mortar retailers that ultimately coalesce as an ecosystem.

The Ecosystem

Essential B&M: A coffee shop; a grocery store; a hair salon; a dry cleaner. Places that we rely on every day.

Community B&M: A spin class; a pottery studio; cult-status grocers like Erewhon. Powerful networks and systems that go beyond a single service or good, offering identifiers that create belonging.

Discovery B&M: Pop-up stores; smart dressing rooms; curated boutiques. Part of the true omnichannel revolution.

While consumers may change how and where they allocate their money, these three types of brick-and-mortar create a strong, impermeable web that makes it impossible for to ever abandon brick-and-mortar altogether. That is the secret of brick-and-mortar: diversity.