Retailers Keep Upping Ante in Times Square

New York City’s Times Square gains more wattage with each passing day. Teen fave Aeropostale has opened a 19,000-sq.-ft. flagship at 1515 Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets, smack in the middle of the tourist Mecca.

The two-level store is lit up with a 120-sq.-ft. digital billboard made up of two million LEDs. The content varies, but will include images of the store’s shoppers, who are invited to dance with virtual models in The Balcony, an open space on the second-floor. A camera embedded in the screen in the room will film the shoppers and display their images on the storefront billboard about 20 minutes later. That a retailer as savvy as Aeropostale is willing to give up valuable (and very expensive) square footage to an empty room -- one with not a shred of merchandise -- is unusual to say the least.

To read more about the Aeropostale store, click here. And to see more photos, click here.

... But Aeropostale isn’t the only one adding to the Times Square dazzle. On Nov. 9, The Disney Store will unveil its next-generation, interactive store format (see photo on left). The new Disney emporium, at 1540 Broadway, has already started to unveil its exterior.

Toys 'R' Us Times Square’s New Sweet Treat

From the gigantic Forever 21 superstore to the soon-to-open Disney store and Aeropostale flagship, Manhattan’s Times Square is a beehive of retail activity these days. Meanwhile, the store that started it all -- Toys “R” Us -- has a new “sweet” attraction: The Nestle-owned Wonka candy brand has opened its first-ever retail shop on the first level of the giant Toys flagship. It’s bright and wildly colorful and enticing, with its sweet scents and candy theme. Now if only Johnny Depp would make an appearance …

Herding Cats … in Ikea

It’s being called the best retail-related video ever posted on YouTube. I wouldn’t go that far, but it certainly is different. British advertising agency Mother London released 100 cats in Ikea’s store in Wembly, England, and then filmed the results for a new advertising campaign whose tagline is “happy inside.” The YouTube film shows footage of the cats being released and exploring the store.

As for the campaign, along with 60- and 90-second TC commercials, it includes a Facebook-linked competition where users have to guess which pieces of furniture the cats in the ad settled themselves down on, to win the furniture in question. The competition microsite at Ikea.co.uk/cats also features a short documentary about the owners of the cats and a "making of" film.

Wanted: 10 Chain Restaurants that Should Open in Manhattan

It’s no secret that the Big Apple is a restaurant mecca. But I never realized that so many of the nation’s largest and most successful fast-food and casual dining chains have yet to open even one outpost in Manhattan until I came across this list on ny.eater.com:

1. In-N-Out Burger (A poor man’s Shake Shack but with better burgers, according to some fans.)
   
2. Chick Fil-A (A mall classic. And amazingly good value for the money.)
   
3. Chili’s (Americanized-Mexican and Southwestern fare.)
4. P.F. Chang’s (Lettuce Rolls and The Great Wall of Chocolate -- enough said.)
5. Cracker Barrel (But the company’s signature rocking chairs outside the front door wouldn’t last a day, even if they were chained down.)
6. Denny’s (Its new Value Menu goes down easy.
   
7. Dairy Queen (Of the entire group, this is my personal favorite. Expensive artisinal ice cream and gelato pales next to a Blizzard.)
8. Krispy Kreme (Actually, I don’t think Krispy Kreme qualifies for this list in that it has already been here. But it shuttered its stores due to poor sales.)
9. Waffle House (Not too exciting, but always consistent.)
10. Sonic Drive-In (Of course, those roller-skating waiters would have to be brought in indoors.)
    

Sugar Cravings in Times Square

I never particularly liked Pop-Tarts. But I think the brand’s just-opened pop-up store in Manhattan’s Times Square is a hoot. It also shows that, with a little creative thinking, how effectively a brand can engage customers in a physical space.

Wrapped in Pop-Tarts branding and promoted with a six-story billboard, the 3,200-sq.-ft. Pop-Tart World is hard to miss. The focal point of the space is a café, which serves some 30 snacks. The menu includes such concoctions as Fluffer Butter (marshmallow spread sandwiched between two frosted fudge Pop-Tarts) and Pop-Tarts Sushi, which is basically a fruit roll stuffed with three minced-up Pop-Tarts flavors.

Visitors can also create their own Pop-Tarts, starting with the basic pastry and then adding the frosting, toppings. and drizzles of their choice. Or, using a computerized vending machine, they can choose among all 23 Pop-Tarts flavors (23 flavors! Who knew?) to customize their very own variety-pack boxes to take home.

Computer screens in the store provide access to PopTartsWorld.com, social media sites and Pop-Tarts video games. Consumers can also buy themed merchandise, and even design their own T-shirt. The store also sells all variety of themed-merchandise. It even has select a Pop-Tarts T-shirt made by specialty artist

The lease on Pop-Tarts World, which is on the south side of 42nd Street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, runs through January. Reportedly, executives will then decide whether the store has legs.

New Disney Magic

The Disney Store’s long-awaited new design has finally been unveiled. The design, which made its debut at Montebello Town Center, Montebello, Calif., blends high-tech elements with signature Disney icons. From a Princess Castle complete with a magic mirror (with the wave of a wand, a Disney Princess appears) to a theater where customers can pick from a selection of pre-loaded content and watch classic and new Disney entertainment), the store is fun and entertaining.

See for yourself by watching the video above.

PS: A big thanks to the folks at RCS Real Estate Advisors (the firm is helping Disney reposition much of its real estate as it rolls out the new design) for sending the clip to me!

Times Square goes gaga over Forever 21 billboard

“Wow.” “Cool.” “How do they do it?”

That pretty much sums up the reaction to Forever 21’s dazzling digital billboard in Times Square. The display, which sits on top of the retailer’s massive new flagship, has people gawking, necks craned upwards. What’s causing all the attention -- and camera flashes -- is the way the display integrates real-time video of the street with programmed content. Every now and then, you come across something that is truly worthy of being deemed “cutting edge.” This is one of those times.