RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2018
4
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com
Here's to connecting —
I
spent the first half of June traveling in Italy visiting some of our manufacturing
partners. Factories were toured, products were reviewed, and as always, we
were showered with wonderful Italian hospitality focusing on food, family and
discovering new friendships.
It's now July and back at home, we are in the height of summertime – sun,
fun, and outdoor entertaining is at its finest. As we gather around the BBQ
cooking in the late afternoon and evening, we free ourselves of the world
and put our To-Do lists on the backburner for a few hours. This time is for
creating a sense of community, to come together, prepare and cook, eat and
drink, and gather around the family table to unwind with food, games,
stories, family, and each other.
The outdoor dining experience is more than the cooking equipment itself.
It's the environment as a whole that creates an atmosphere of warmth, delight,
safety and fun – the perfect ambiance to connect. The lighting, garden,
furniture, and comforts are what help create an inviting space to be in. In a way,
we are re-creating a culture that our society as a whole has forgotten - the
importance of "down time". In most of Europe, they take the month of August
off, pack up and take the family to the seashore to spend an entire month
together relaxing, eating, drinking and having fun together. It's the connection
that we all crave.
We need to redefine what it is that we need, adding back in what has been
missing in our workaholic culture; a sense of connection and sharing through
food and wine that cultures around the world have been doing for centuries.
Outdoor living is a strong and growing market. How much of this market share
do you want to own? How do you promote the concept to your customers?
Create the feeling of gathering and sharing in your own showrooms, one that
invites your shoppers to dream and imagine themselves doing this at home
with their friends and loved ones. Become the "go to" place for finding all the
elements that build the environment of entertaining at its finest.
USING
OUTDOOR SPACES
to create the connection we all crave
Elle's View As I See It
JULY 2018, VOLUME 29, ISSUE 7
CELEBRATING OUR 29
TH
YEAR
AS THE RETAIL OBSERVER
PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR
E LIANA BARRIGA
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
MOE LASTFOGEL
ART DIRECTOR
TERRY PRICE
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
HANK ALEXANDER
BILL BAZEMORE
SARAH BROWN
CHAD EVANS
JOE HIGGINS
DON PIERSON
DENNIS SHIELDS
JOHN TSCHOHL
LIBBY WAGNER
DEADLINE FOR SEPT. 2018 ISSUE:
AUGUST 1, 2018
THE RETAIL OBSERVER
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