PP Concept: How to reinvent the experience in retail spaces

From white paper to operational reality

Two years ago, Accessite anticipated the sector's mutations in a forward-looking white paper: "The Shopping Center in 2030." Today, Alexandre Séjourné asserts that these predictions have become a tangible reality. The historical model, standardized around the hypermarket and a gallery dominated at 60% by personal equipment (fashion), is over.

For the manager, the time is no longer for existential worries but for execution. Assets are beginning their transformation to adapt to a consumer whose habits have radically changed. This transformation results in a massive rebalancing of the merchandising mix, now integrating a predominant share of non-commercial activities, services, and dining.

Leisure as a “Game Changer”: The Nikito case study

To illustrate the power of this new model, Alexandre Séjourné relies on striking figures. He cites the example of the leisure brand Nikito’s opening within the Domus center.

Inaugurated in April 2024 across 10,000 sqm, this concept generated results far beyond initial forecasts. In one year (as of June 2025), the site attracted 440,000 visitors. The impact on the center's ecosystem was immediate and massive: global footfall at Domus jumped by +40%. This success demonstrates that leisure is no longer just a complement, but a true traffic driver capable of revitalizing all adjacent businesses.

The new value equation: Location, Positioning, Experience

According to Accessite’s Managing Director, the famous real estate adage "Location, location, location" is now obsolete. To guarantee the sustainability and profitability of an asset, landlords must master a new strategic equation:

• Location: Remains the fundamental basis of valuation.
• Positioning: Requires a redesigned, more welcoming architecture and a diversified mix (health, beauty, discount, sports) to compensate for the retreat of traditional ready-to-wear.
• Customer Experience: Becomes the major differentiating factor. This includes visual identity and the quality of the customer journey, but also CSR (ESG). Sustainability is no longer an option, but a basic requirement for consumers seeking meaning.

End of “Retail Bashing”: The return of investor confidence

In conclusion, Alexandre Séjourné notes a significant change in atmosphere in the market. The long period of "retail bashing" seems to be coming to an end. Institutional investors, reassured by the sector's resilience and the clarity of new models, are showing a renewed interest in this asset class.

This return of capital is crucial: it will finance the heavy investments (CAPEX) necessary for restructuring sites. Positioned as a global operator (Asset, Property, Consulting), Accessite says it is ready to support these transformations with a proven methodology and a measured but real enthusiasm.

Key Takeaways

Alexandre Séjourné’s intervention at SIEC 2025 confirms that retail real estate has found its way out of the crisis. The survival of shopping centers depends on a break with models of the past: massive integration of leisure, CSR requirements, and fine-tuned management of the customer experience. With the return of investors, the market now has the means to match its ambitions to operate this structural shift.