Why Retail Property Decisions Still Happen Face to Face
A coffee chain wants twenty new stores next year. Somewhere, a landlord has an empty corner unit on a busy street. The two could swap emails for months and get nowhere. Or they could sit down for twenty minutes, look at the floor plan together and agree on a next step before lunch.
That second option is why the retail property world still meets in person. Shopping has moved online in a big way, but physical stores haven’t gone away. They’ve changed. The people who decide what goes into shopping streets and centres still need to talk directly, and trade events give them the space to do it. One of the biggest is MAPIC, held every year in Cannes for the retail, leisure and food property sector.
Who Actually Shows Up
It’s a mixed crowd. Each group comes with a different goal.
Retailers and brands looking for new store locations
Landlords trying to fill empty units
Developers pitching new projects
Investors hunting for good opportunities
Agents and advisors who connect all of the above
City teams promoting their towns to new businesses
Online Shopping Changed the Store, Not the Need for It
For years, the common story was that the high street was dying. Some big chains did close. Plenty of town centres were left with empty shopfronts. But the full picture turned out to be more mixed than that.
People still like going out. They want to try things on and see products in person. They also want somewhere to meet friends. What changed is what they expect from a trip to the shops.
Successful streets now tend to share a few habits.
Shops sit next to cafés, restaurants and things to do
Flats, offices or hotels fill the floors above
Markets and pop up stores bring people back often
Streets feel clean, safe and easy to walk
A shopping street with only shops on it has a harder time now. One with a cinema, a gym and three good places to eat gives people a reason to stay all afternoon.
Inside the 2026 Event
This year marks the 31st edition of MAPIC. It runs on 3 and 4 November 2026 at the Palais des Festivals, the same building that hosts the famous film festival.
Big advisory firms bring large teams. Cushman & Wakefield says it’s sending more than 60 people from 25 countries, based at Stand R7.K1. Its program gives a good sense of what the industry is talking about.
A retail market overview at 10 AM on Tuesday 3 November, on the Trends Stage. Sally Bruer, who leads the firm’s EMEA retail research, looks at what retailers care about as AI changes shopping. She also covers which sectors seem ready to grow.
Short high street sessions on European cities such as Paris and Madrid, plus London and Milan.
Open house drinks on both days, from 4.30 PM to 7 PM.
Those evening drinks matter more than they sound. Plenty of useful conversations start once the formal meetings are over.
Mixed Use Is the Idea Everyone Keeps Coming Back To
Mixed use means putting different things in one place. Shopping sits alongside leisure. Sometimes homes and offices are part of it too.
Think about a large shopping centre that’s busy on Saturdays but quiet every weekday morning. Now add an office block and a few hundred flats next door. Suddenly there are people around at breakfast, at lunch and in the evening. The cafés do better. So do the shops.
That’s the basic logic, and it shows up again and again at retail property events.
Visitors stay longer when there’s more to do
Footfall stays steadier through the week
Owners aren’t relying on just one type of tenant
Old buildings are getting the same treatment. A historic palace turned into a shopping and culture space is a good example of how retail and leisure now blend together.
What Technology Is Changing
AI and data are now part of how stores get planned. Retailers use data to pick locations. They look at where their customers live, how they travel and what they already buy nearby.
Online and in store shopping are also merging.
Click and collect brings online shoppers into physical stores
Stores double as small delivery hubs
Screens and apps help shoppers check stock before visiting
None of this replaces the physical store. It changes what the store is for.
Getting Real Value From Attending
People who get the most out of these events usually plan ahead.
Set one or two clear goals before arriving
Book key meetings several weeks early
Study the floor plan so time isn’t wasted walking in circles
Pick a few talks that match those goals
Follow up with new contacts within a week
“Networking” on its own isn’t really a goal. “Find two food tenants for a retail park” is. Clear goals make every meeting shorter and more useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it only about shopping centres?No. High streets, retail parks and leisure spaces are all part of the discussion. Food and drink venues are as well.
Why go in person when so much happens online?Deals in this sector depend on trust and timing. A short face to face meeting can move a project forward faster than weeks of emails.
Back to that coffee chain and the empty corner unit. Neither side found the other through a listing. They met in a hallway between sessions, talked for twenty minutes and swapped cards. A year later, there’s a café on that corner with a queue out the door.
