Why Entertainment Marries so Well With Retail

Zimmerman: “To satisfy evolving customer desires, today’s developers are increasingly integrating large public spaces into retail projects that feature entertainment attractions such as water features, shows, interactive lighting and/or themed environments.”

NEWPORT BEACH, CA—Consumers have come to expect high-quality design and showmanship at retail, which puts pressure on retail owners and developers to find new ways to deliver, Outside the Lines Inc.’s CEO J. Wickham Zimmerman tells GlobeSt.com. The Newport Beach, CA-based design-build construction company specializes in creating one-of-a-kind water features, rockwork and themed environments, and it recently completed a consulting project on the $90-million highly complex renovation of the historic 83-year-old spectacular Main Fountain Garden at Philadelphia’s Longwood Gardens.

The project, which began in 2014, encompassed the cleaning and repair of 4,000 pieces of carved Italian limestone, the construction of approximately 1,400 feet of underground tunnels and the enhancement of the fountain garden, including 1,340 new jets and streams, 30 new flame nozzles and 1,389 new LED lights—a true example of experiential retail, also known as retailtainment.