New Zealand retailer Rodd & Gunn has launched its first Australian experiential retail store in Chadstone.
This new concept combines retail and hospitality into one as part of the brand's new direction to become more of a lifestyle brand.
Rodd & Gunn's visual brand manager Nik Rush said that stores should no longer just hold stock.
“In the past, every conceivable part of the shop floor was used for stock, but now you have to allow for elements that play to experience, not just product.
“It's now about curating the experience on the shop floor and allowing for breathing space.
“The future of retail is about engaging with the customer's senses."
First launched in Rodd & Gunn's Queenstown store, the Lodge Bar offers customers a selection of wine from New Zealand, coffee from its collaboration with Mojo, sparkling water and food to create a welcoming in-store environment.
At the entrance to the store there is a large digital screen projecting live images of Queenstown from a camera the brand has set up overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
It is also equipped with a concierge for click and collect customers, spacious styling suites, New Zealand photographer Jenna Smith's photographs and bespoke interiors.
“Hospitality plays a big part in the store and a big part in our future,” Rush said.