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RETAIL INSIGHT

Reframing Retail’s Future

Physical retail isn’t dying, but drowning in sameness. This is the viewpoint of Ian
Johnston, Founder and Creative Director of Quinine Design and in this month’s Retail
Insight, he explores why designing for function, not format, is the new imperative and
how the most effective estates work as purposeful portfolios.

What is the role of the physical retail store in 2025? Your role isn’t to shout louder, it’s to matter more and become part of
There is no single answer. The role of the store in 2025 isn’t fixed. It’s the weekly rhythm. To be the place people turn to, not just when they
not one-size-fits-all, in fact, it is one-size-fits-no one. In a world where need something, but because it’s part of their routine and habits. The
customers, channels and expectations are in constant motion, static original store becomes a service hub, a local fixer helping people get
thinking is a liability. Yet we still talk about stores in binary terms: things working. A second opens where footfall flows faster, a retail tur-
brand theatre or fulfilment hub, experience centre or sales machine. bine converting interest into action. A third appears in a leisure zone,
The truth is, our stores need to be all of those things - some of the time.focused on experience over utility. Less market stall, more brand theatre.
The key is to know which store does what, for whom and when. Each store finds its rhythm. Some fit the weekday dash, others the
We’re shifting from standard formats to purposeful functions. From weekend wander. The best do both, useful and memorable by design.
uniformity across the estate to utility tailored to context. The future
isn’t about matching stores - it’s about meaningful ones. A store’s role Phase three – A thriving, competitive ecosystem
is shaped by context - demographics, channel mix, competition, data, By years five to ten, the town is thriving. Pavements are busy. Other
the neighbourhood pulse... And because that context changes, so must brands have moved in. Customers have generally made their choices.
the store. Your brand is familiar, recognised, maybe even liked. However, that’s
The biggest trap in retail is creating permanent solutions for fluid not the same as being chosen again and again. By now, the goal isn’t to
realities. Expectations shift. Competitors move in. Tech evolves. The be noticed, it’s to be missed when absent.
store that makes sense today might need rethinking in 12 months. Now the estate behaves less like a chain and more like an orchestra.
That’s not a flaw; it’s a feature of a modern retail estate. We need eco- Each store plays a role and together they create something greater than
systems, not monoliths. The future isn’t built on uniformity, it’s shaped the sum of their fixtures.
by a portfolio of distinct store types, each with clear purpose and each The flagship is your lead violin, bold and expressive. The service
designed to evolve with its context. No one store carries the full weight. hub keeps time. The community microstore hums in the background,
Together, they deliver the full brand promise. local and habitual. The dark store works backstage, fast, efficient and
quietly brilliant.
We’re rethinking what success means At this stage, you’re not chasing eyeballs, you’re holding hearts.
It’s about the right store, in the right place, doing the right job. This Be the constant in a customer’s changing world. Reliable but never
isn’t always the highest sales per square foot. Sometimes the return is predictable and known but never stale. Always there, until it would be
cultural, emotional, or brand-led. The most valuable stores may sell unthinkable not to be.
less but shape how people see the brand. Not every store can or should
do everything. So we ask: What role does it play? What experience are Conclusion: Designing for evolution, not erosion
we creating? How will it evolve? Store purpose isn’t fixed, it’s shaped by context. Like a smart city, your
Customer behaviour, technology and urban life evolve faster than estate should listen, learn and adapt, not follow rigid blueprints, but
-
store formats. It’s easy to end up managing what was, instead of design respond to how people live, move and change. What works in year one
ing what could be. To help shift your mindset, consider this exercise. won’t in year ten. The goal isn’t permanence but progression. Design
Strip it all back. Forget the legacy estate. Forget leases, formats and for motion, not for the moment. See your estate as a strategic lever, a
sunk costs. Think of your retail estate as if it were a new town under purposeful living ecosystem that evolves with the people it serves and
development, with each phase of growth demanding a different kind of keeps your brand alive, relevant and resilient.
presence. Imagine that a new town is being built over the next decade.
There’s land and potential, but no high streets, no footfall patterns, no
brand presence. You decide what kind of store to create, where to go,
when to show up and why it matters.

Phase one - Arrival without infrastructure
The town is just breaking ground and there are a few new homes and
a handful of early movers. Your job is to spark trust and begin the rela-
tionship. The store is a flexible-format brand outpost - pop-up, modu-
lar or mobile. It sparks curiosity, starts conversations and plants a flag.
Its purpose is to create early brand salience and to act as a magnet, not
a megaphone. It offers useful, memorable, low-friction experiences.
It doesn’t need to sell much, it needs to listen closely and learn fast.

Phase two - The town takes shape
In years two to four, the town develops its own rhythm. It’s no longer
an outpost, it’s a place people move to and build habits around. Roads Nike House of Innovation, New York City, New York, US
connect. The school run begins. Routine sets in.

30 Retail & Leisure International November 2025