October 2009

Aberdeen Union Square Launch - 29th October 2009

Aberdeen is finally taking baby steps towards expanding shopping choices for its long awaiting public. Karen Millen and KG alongside premier collections at Warehouse, Topshop & Oasis recently opened at the Bon-Accord center and the new Union square shopping center is due to open on the 29th of this month.

In an interview I gave to an independent magazine last month I was asked if having a "proper mall" means that Aberdeen is finally making it on the shopping scene and my answer was that yes we are starting to see more variety but in my professional opinion what we really need in order to make Aberdeen a desired shopping location for the North East is a business initiative for the council to lower rent on properties in town which in turn will attract many more businesses to invest here.

When Edinburgh city center wanted to win over more shoppers to the then new Harvey Nichols, they offered a long term rent free arrangement to the Louis Vuitton brand to open their boutique just around the corner; it was a brilliant PR move which attracted other high end business to the location and turned Multrees Walk in Edinburgh to one of the more sought after shopping locations in Scotland. The ripple affect of this decision was that the overall profile of independent boutiques around town was raised and more small businesses opened up from Thistle street to William street giving true choice to the customer.

In my long professional experience of shopping with clients around the world, what makes for a good shopping location is wide range selection. The key to desired locations such as London, Barcelona  Amsterdam or Glasgow is the simple fact that alongside the popular brands like H&M, Gap Zara and Clair's accessories one has an abundance of other venues to choose from. People in Aberdeen are no different and its time to treat them the same; they would love to shop locally if given similar choices.

Aberdeen has proven to be very stable throughout the recent unsettling economic wave hence this introduction of the new shops but very high rent demands from the council prevents small /medium retailers from coming into town.

I think it is time for the council to go the whole way towards real prosperity in the city by thinking outside the box.  It is time to entice both "chain stores" and independent retailers to invest in the city center by offering affordable rental rates which will reduce, even eliminate, the many numbers of vacant stores waiting to be leased all along Union street, this will also help connect both ends of Union street to create a constant flow of shoppers from one side of town to the other.

Prosperous commerce is all about healthy competition and choice. I am sure that part of the decision of Signature to introduce the new Armani range for man was due to demand & the success of other designer shops like Hugo Boss and Pure on the same street. Giving the Aberdeen consumer a wider range of retail options to choose from, will encourage them to think twice before shopping out of town. 

In my opinion choice is key to business success; this way we all win, create new local jobs and keep Aberdeen's future growth.  Its time to take account of success stories such as Cruise, Zoomp, Pure, Thistle st. Aberdeen, John Lewis and Next - Scotland’s largest branch is in town.  Aberdeen has the money, the craving of its shoppers and now the space so please do not give us yet another Next - successful as it is...

The launch of the new Union square mall is open to everyone, doors will open at 12 noon.
There are planed events throughout the weekend lasting till business closing time on Sunday November 1st 2009. 

For more information visit  www.unionsquareaberdeen.com