Over the past three decades, hospitality, whether in the form of restaurants, bars, cafés, or hotels, has evolved from a brand-building side project into a strategic pillar for non-hospitality brands across various sectors. What began as bold experiments by luxury fashion houses has transformed into a multi-industry movement, as companies seek to deepen emotional engagement, increase traffic and customer dwell time, and unlock new revenue streams. Hospitality now serves as a customer acquisition tool and can transform into a profit centre. As the lines between retail, lifestyle and experience continue to blur, hospitality has evolved not just as a trend but as a long-term strategy, one that requires brands to demonstrate creativity and operational excellence.

Hospitality has been an integral part of the department store business since its inception. Almost two centuries after Le Bon Marché opens a reading room free of charge to husbands waiting for their wives, department stores up the hospitality ante to better serve customers and compete with their brand partners’ own hospitality engines.

No longer a vanity sideline, hospitality is becoming the front door to brand ecosystems and a credible profit driver. Department stores that curate these experiences can turn lattes, food and maybe room keys into the next generation of retail loyalty.

IADS Exclusive – Retail’s new front door: How hospitality becomes core business

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