Feasibility, Design & Consulting Services for Shopping Centers, Malls, Retail & Retail-tainment
Over the years we have applied our expertise to work with shopping centers, malls, mixed-use projects, retail stores and retail-tainment projects throughout the world on feasibility, concept development, master planning and design, with a focus on incorporating entertainment, eatertainment, edutainment, play and destination leisure attractions and venues into the projects and designing experiential retail experiences (retail-tainment).
The White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group is a multi-disciplinary, full-service feasibility, design, production and consulting firm. Our services cover every aspect of planning, designing, opening and managing projects, including:
- Site selection
- Market feasibility
- Financial feasibility
- Concept development
- Master plans
- Brand & theme development
- Full design
- Equipment design and selection
- Procurement
- Management
Is the White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group a market research firm, a designer or a consultant? The answer is that we are none of the above and all the above.
Unlike most companies that specialize in only one discipline of development, such as architecture, business consulting, feasibility studies, interior design, site design, or training, the White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group takes a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to our work. We refer to ourselves as "producers." As such, we oversee a production team that includes all the disciplines of feasibility, design, development, marketing and management of a project. Our production team includes the pure design disciplines such as architects, interior designers, landscape architects and civil engineers. Unlike design firms, it also includes market feasibility experts, financial experts, trainers and business experts. In addition, it includes many other disciplines that the typical development process ignores, but are really essential to developing a successful project such as acoustical design, way finding, child development and education, storyline and theme development, menu and food service design, horticultural design and safety experts, to list just a few. Our comprehensive approach not only deals with the physical facility and its design, but more importantly with the entire guest experience, which is dependent on all aspects of the business including marketing, operations and management. Rather than think of the development process as just the design of a physical facility, we approach a project’s development as the design of an entire business.
When we work on a project, no one discipline drives the decision process. Rather, all factors are taken into consideration simultaneously. We believe this gives our clients a distinct advantage. This approach is called concurrent design and differs greatly from the typical sequential design process, normally overseen by an architect with limited or no expertise in the multiple, interrelated aspects of designing, marketing and operating a location-based leisure business. When an architect oversees the process, what results may be a technically correct architectural solution, at least from a structural and codes standpoint, but architecture is only one piece of the puzzle. Allowing an architectural perspective to dominate the development process does not result in the best marketing and operations solutions. More important, an architect cannot design the entire guest experience since they are only looking a one piece of a very complex puzzle.
We see our production process of using broad expertise in all aspects of what is required to make a project succeed as a significant advantage to our clients. It results in the best solution for them. We work from day one with our multi-disciplinary production team, drawing on their expertise at every step of the way. In a sense, all members of our team jump in the sandbox at once with the producer being the team leader.
Even during the initial market research and feasibility stage of development, we draw on our multi-disciplinary team to assure that the project formula that results is the best solution, technically feasible and that the revenue, expense and development cost estimates are realistic and achievable. Rather than come up with stock development formulas, which in many cases may be obsolete or not the best solution at a particular site in a particular market and culture, our research results in a unique product mix and design that is highly tailored to take advantage of opportunities created by competition and the unique characteristics of the market population.
When it comes to designing a project - both the physical facility and operations - our production process results in a uniquely branded concept with exceptional attention to the hundreds of important details required to produce a project:
- At the most economical cost,
- That operates efficiently,
- Produces a quality customer experience, and
- Creates the maximum traffic and/or profits.
After all, it is a positive customer experience, not just architecture, that results in maximum traffic, repeat visits, positive word-of-mouth marketing, and of course, the maximum revenue. Add to that efficient and economical operations, and the result for our clients is profits and a high return on investment. That is why we take the comprehensive approach to development. It is in the best interests of our clients.
