Verge; My New Saturday Shop
By Jo Phillips
Saturday used to mean something so different to now for 14 year old me, my 16 year old sister and friends. It meant a trip to the nearest big town (in my case kingston) to trawl around the shops, boutiques and independent stores looking for that special little something not just for out of school times or college but for a potential weekend date. No shopping trip was complete without some kind of purchase, egg yolk yellow jeans, a pearly kiss me quick lipstick or latest vinyl release. Simple pleasure for a simple Saturday. As we go that bit older the same outings occurred but the purchases became a little more ‘spendy’ . A new fragrance, a pair of shoes with the day ending, when younger at the latest burger joint and when aged allowed the latest cocktail bar or even a trip to the cinema, taking the opportunity to relax tired feet in bumpy old velveteen seats, whist slurping cola and scoffing copious amount of sweets and popcorn. After all our digestive systems new no boundaries and life was made up of simpler pleasures.
It was an opportunity and a means of bonding, sharing and gossiping whilst looking for bargains for many an “OHH AHH” over some sparkling little number, new heels (or DM’s in my case) new frilly knickers or handbags. It was a ‘girl bonding’ time not to be taken for granted and certainly NO boyfriends allowed. It was SERIOUS shopping time, serious girl time, serious secrets time. We could engage for hours over rails of pinks purples and blue 2 tone jumpsuits, skinny jeans in a variety of rainbow colours, Goth t’shirts dangly earrings and of course multitask; giving out advise to one another which was as worthless as our own. But how we loved it and we would get home at the end of the day thoroughly wiped out and full of joy, happy, even if we only ended up with a glitter nail varnish…who cares we HUNG OUT.
In the most recent years shopping has become an online experience, done with the click of a mouse and not something so much shared with friends or thoughtfully dwelled over but something spur of the moment. Has the art of shopping been lost? Is it no longer an ‘experience’ The changes in shopping behaviour have revolutionised the retail industry which has led to a major adjustment of traditional habits. Shopping is no longer about just shopping its about entertainment. It is the modern day amphi-theatre. An area to shop meet and play. this has been driven very much by not the high street where footfall has decreased but by the shopping centres and shopping cities that have become a hub for modern amusement. Back again are we to times where shopping gossiping eating and fun can be achieved within one area.
A visit to the mall means meeting in a vibrant, multifunctional complex which can include multiplex cinemas, dramatic theatre performances, fine dining, and any games you can enjoy with friends and family. Customers see shopping centres now as major leisure activity centres but they also have the advantage of face to face customer service. This is part of the wow effect consumers now expect.
Take McArtherGlen for example, the fastest growing of all the designer outlets at present, they were the first to introduce the concept of outlet shopping to the Europe and have a portfolio of 3,000 stores across the group and approximately 1,000 brands. the sites are full of high end luxury brands which look just like their sister stores in any elegant high street; the Prada store on site looks just like the Prada store on Bond street in London
Shoppers want to linger and enjoy a personalised experience where entertainment opportunities sit side by side with shops. These include information desks, cafés and restaurants serving local and European cuisine, free and convenient parking and shuttle-bus service from central city locations, personal shoppers, specially designed children’s play areas and welcoming multilingual staff, as well as a host of exciting events including music festivals, fashion shows.
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet offers much more than just shopping. We’ve got lots of events going on too from; Golf Weekends, Fashion Nights Out, Live Music, Trend Talks and Style Guides to name a few. Navigate through to your chosen Designer Outlet to find out what’s going on. Golf Weekends, Fashion Nights Out, Live Music, Trend Talks and Style Guides
So if you are in need of a multi shopping experience rather than a one dimensional click with the mouse, why not head to a McArtherGlen site . click here to find out which ones are near to you.
