For EDENS CEO Jodie McLean, the strongest retail destinations are measured by whether people feel welcome, connected and eager to return.
In a recent fireside chat at ICSC New England with Wrenegade Media’s Wade Holland, Jodie talked about how the best-performing mixed-use and retail places appeal to multiple generations. Grandparents stop for ice cream with grandchildren, parents enjoy date nights and teenagers meet friends. These everyday visits help a commercial property feel less like a shopping center and more like a neighborhood.
EDENS begins the design process by asking how people want to feel. Community members often say they want somewhere to make a friend or simply spend time with others. By design, EDENS incorporates green spaces, plazas, pedestrian-friendly walkways, art and opportunities for play—features that encourage people to cross paths and linger.
That human connection is brick-and-mortar retail’s enduring advantage. E-commerce offers convenience, but it cannot fully reproduce the social experience of a place designed around its community.
The strategy also produces measurable business results. When visitors spend 10% more time at an EDENS property, sales rise by 2% to 4%. Longer visits can increase retailer sales, support stronger rents, grow net operating income and improve investor returns.
Community impact is consequently one of EDENS’ four key performance indicators. We consider visits, dwell time, sustainability and local factors such as health, education and public safety. Our goal is to create places that feel good while contributing positively to the communities around them.
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