Consumers, retailers want larger spaces
Before the pandemic the trend in retail commerce globally as well as in Greece was for city stores, even in the form of display shops (especially for homeware retailers), as consumers didn’t want to spend time and money visiting stores outside of the city.
Nowadays the pandemic and the fear of crowding in small indoor spaces is bringing larger stores and open spaces back into fashion. That trend is seen across all sectors of retail commerce, be it supermarkets or apparel outlets.
Consumers’ desire to shop in bigger spaces is reflected in the increase in the rate of visitors heading to open malls and shopping parks, as the recent growth in the number of shoppers at Smart Park and McArthurGlen in eastern Attica shows.
Businesses themselves also appear eager to respond to the circumstances and secure larger properties.
Given the restrictions regarding the reduced numbers of shoppers allowed in each store at any given moment – not ruling out their tightening again in the fall and next winter – enterprises are now actively searching for spacious properties, preferably with a separate entrance and exit.