This attractive starry lit promenade is Hastings Street in Noosa, certainly
one of my most favorite places in the world! A recent holiday there
started me thinking about the ‘Field of dreams’ maxim for developers
above in regard to how to create an attractive shopping street where
people will want to go. Contrasting Hastings Street with the numerous
For Lease signs in Willis Street and Queens Drive, I decided to pose
this question to Allistar Cox, Wellington architect and designer of
numerous hip restaurants and bars including the Mojo coffee chain.
I met with Allistar in his very modernist studio over a tasty brew
and he enthusiastically showed me some pictures of one of his favorite
cities Tokyo, again the same fairy lights providing a soft welcoming
glow but 50 times the scale of Hastings Street. ‘Shopping districts are
for pedestrians and people not diesel buses!” he claimed forcefully.
“Retailers pay huge rates and are getting short changed because councils
are not providing customer friendly streetscapes…” He raved about the
need for friendly lighting (as opposed to the new lighting on Courtenay
Place), seating and meeting places. Shopping is our number one leisure
activity therefore councils and building owners must help retailers
compete with malls and online retailing by providing a pleasurable
experience intertwined with eating and meeting friends.
The conversation flowed towards the contribution required of the
retailers. I also had a photo of a trendy eatery and bar from Hastings
Street called Miss Moneypennys. The name went over my daughters head but
it reminded me of the beautiful and playful character in Sean Connery
era James Bond films. Obviously because of the climate, diners spilled out over a wide pavement and so the business was part of the street in a way.
Back to the point though, I realised canny retailers recognise they
must create a memorable and fun experience and even a sense of theatre.
Shopping is the number one leisure activity, you want people to be
entertained and come back for more!
I walked home on a cold winters night along Willis Street, there were
plenty of people around and the stretch between the BNZ and Mercer St
has a long line of fashion boutiques, all had expensive fitouts and
beautiful stock to sell but at 6:15pm on a friday evening half were
shut! Attractive shopping strips require creativity and good design,
building owners and council must contribute their part and the retailers
have to pull together with nice stores, update their offers and stay
open when shoppers are at leisure! Allistar was right, the whole chain
is only as strong as the weakest link.