Experience is the new Retail

This blog post will be short on pics and long on words. Working at Pinecroft I realize that the business's that will be successful will offer an experience. Daily I see people walking the spillway of the pond taking pictures of the black eyed susans that line the pond, the geese, the waterfalls, the studio with flower boxes, Brenda and Herms yella an red heritage home. They come from hundreds of miles for an "experience". Their wonderful meal is more than just a lunch out. Malls used to be small villages that we visited and spent time in. I remember in a former life going shoe shopping with my wife to 37 different shoe stores. Of course, the shoes she had in mind were not designed or made yet! The malls have gone the way of the doo-doo bird. They need to offer an experience. Some are becoming places to live with a doctor, a dentist, a theatre, a pool hall, a bank and everything a town square used to offer. Our malls tried to be the town square in a European village but failed miserably as a social gathering place. The STudio Tour is on the wain too. They used to be the thing to do. Most kept up with store bought cookies, mediocre coffee and come buy my stuff. There are a few exceptions. The St. Croix River Tour offers great pots, awesome food, wine, beer, entertainment,demonstrations, bonfires and let's just cap it with "experience". I used to go every Saturday to a Mennoite Butcher shop that had the wood stove going and as soon as you walked in the door there were samples of sausage, bacon, etc. You bet I was the meat shopper in the family. We don't need to go to the mall no mo! We don't need to go to the studio tour no mo! Most of my younger peeps are savvy with the internet and can sell all they make in a day. Why do a craft show and lug boxes, displays, pay fees, rent hotel rooms, buy gas, eat out and come home with the flu? Galleries must be feeling this. I don't to get savvy with the internet. I want to make pots and have someone else do all the technoweenie stuff. So here is my question "How do galleries offer an experience? The business's that offer and experience will survive. Tada!