Future Stores 2025
Site Tours: June 03, 2025 | Main Days: June 04 - 05, 2025
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
Day Two: Innovating Retail for Today’s Customer
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
7:15 am - 8:15 am
Registration & Breakfast in The Innovation Lab
8:15 am - 8:20 am
Welcome Remarks
8:20 am - 8:55 am
Panel: Blended Retail: What Does Success Look Like in Connected Commerce?
Philip Amandola -
VP, Retail,
Reformation
Jean Vashisht -
VP, Business Development,
Sleep Country Canada
Lindsay Schofield -
Director, Retail,
Filson
Janis Avila -
Customer Experience Strategist,
Janis Avila
Today’s customer is shopping everywhere and wants the same, seamless experience everywhere they go. Retailers are working to strike the balance in the customer journey between digital optimization and delivering seamless physical experiences. Our panelists will share how they are thinking about:
- Understanding shopper needs across all channels and how those channels can merge for the customer journey
- Creating seamless online and offline experiences through integrated channels
- Determining where technology can be a value add in the physical environment
- Optimizing inventory accuracy to meet customer demands in real-time
8:55 am - 9:25 am
Fire-Side Chat: Unveiling Brand Stories: Engaging Communities for Tailored Customer Connections
Benjamin Thiele-Long -
Chief ESG & Communications Officer,
Petco
Sarita Chourey -
Director, Programs & Communications,
Open to All
- Brand storytelling while navigating new or untapped markets
- Translating the brand’s vision into retail spaces and customer interactions
- Making retail spaces more inviting for all shoppers and a space for connection
9:25 am - 10:00 am
Puppy Networking Break & Refreshments in The Innovation Lab
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Fire-Side Chat: Sustainability in Every Step of the Customer Journey, From Sourcing to the Salesfloor
Erica Vega -
Manager, Brand, Product and Service Training,
LUSH
Amy Merli -
Regeneration & Sustainability Specialist,
LUSH
Michelle Field -
Shop and Space Planning Manager,
LUSH
Lexy Lebsack -
West Coast Correspondent,
Glossy
- Green shop design and leasing for recycling and composting initiatives and energy management systems
- Engaging staff through different initiatives throughout the year
- Customer engagement through product and store design and brand collaborations
10:30 am - 11:05 am
Panel: Thoughtful Technology to Adapt to Changing Shopping Behaviors
Santosh Subramanyam -
Director, Experience Design – Stores & Supply chain,
Macy’s
Pareiya Gupta -
Head of Product, Retail,
gStore by GreyOrange
Jochen Schmidt -
Vice President, Distribution and Real Estate,
Swarovski
Patricia Waldron -
Contributing Editor,
RetailWire
Jeff Fisher -
VP, Retail,
Blenders Eyewear
Technology can often be gimmicky additions to store experiences, however, with the world digitally accelerating, customers expect sophisticated technological solutions in the way that they want to see them. How can retailers technology enhance the stores?
- Determining technologies that are trends versus true value-adds for the customer journey
- Embracing analytics for better customer journey mapping
- Leveraging technology to personalize experiences
11:05 am - 11:35 am
Fire-Side Chat: Striking the Perfect Balance: Elevating the Salesfloor Experience while Mitigating Shrink through Inventory Accuracy
Joel Quill -
VP, Retail,
PacSun
Katherine Dela Cruz -
Senior Director of Retail Operations,
Fabletics
Patricia Waldron -
Contributing Editor,
RetailWire
National headlines have focused on retail’s shrink challenges, putting pressure on store leaders. However, with organized retail crime higher than ever before and a more demanding customer than ever before, what can retail leaders do to address shrink while delivering the seamless and efficient experiences customers expect? Our panelists are going through the early stages of implementation and will share insights and learnings from their experiences.
11:35 am - 12:05 pm
Mimosas Networking Break & Refreshments in The Innovation Lab
12:05 pm - 12:45 pm
Gen Z Focus Group Panel: What is the Gen Z Customer Looking for from Their Shopping Experience?
Julia D'Andrea -
Gen Z Consumer,
-
A Future Stores first: we are inviting Gen Z customers to take the stage for a candid conversation! Our panelists will talk through their shopping behaviors, what they are looking for from the store experience, and how brands can better effectively engage this growing and influential customer segment. You will have the opportunity to submit live questions for the group.
Julia D'Andrea
Gen Z Consumer-
Retailer only.
1:45 pm - 2:10 pm
Humanizing the Retail Experience: Fostering Personal Connections for Enhanced Customer Loyalty and Profitability
Pam Marcheski -
VP, Retail Development,
Liverpool Los Angeles
Explore strategies for maintaining personal, internal connections within retail relationships, even in today's challenging external climate. Discover how the approach taken with Liverpool in creating Destination Liverpool Stores—fostering deep, personal relationships with private owners—translates into more meaningful customer interactions, driving sales, profit, and loyalty.
2:10 pm - 2:40 pm
Panel: Optimizing In-Store Staffing Models for Efficient Operations and Seamless Customer Experience
Mike Brown -
VP, Retail Operations,
PVH Corp. (Calvin Klein & Tommy Hilfiger)
Kim Rila -
Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner,
TheRealReal
Melissa Daniels -
Senior Reporter,
Modern Retail
Retailers know that excellent customer experiences begin with the employee. But store employees burdened with a multitude of demands, how can stores be staffed for the optimal experience for all? Our panelists will share how they are thinking about:
- Adapting staffing plans to the needs of changing retail spaces and varying store footprints
- Equipping frontline staff with the tools and knowledge they need to provide the best, most efficient customer service
- Leveraging technology that enables staff to spend more time with the customer than on administrative tasks
2:40 pm - 3:00 pm
Case Study: Tech Innovations for an Enhanced Shopping Experience
Santosh Subramanyam -
Director, Experience Design – Stores & Supply chain,
Macy’s
- Experience seamless shopping through in-store search capabilities and ship-to-home options
- Utilize social media to drive in-store traffic and enhance the store experience
- Tailor services to modernize the customer experience for shoppers
- Exploring where artificial intelligence can be a value-add for the customer journey
- Understanding the benefits and challenges of launching small format stores that bring retail closer to customers, enhancing convenience and accessibility
- Effectively working with larger parent stores to ensure consistency and support across different retail formats
- Offering a range of planning services and integrate B2B and B2C solutions, including seamless online ordering and in-store pickup options.
Gustavo Tinajero
Los Angeles VAPS Area ManagerIKEA
(Sign up at registration. Retailer only.)
Explore the captivating world of Bike Shed's Los Angeles location, where the Moto Gallery showcases stunning custom motorcycles alongside a 300-seat British-club style hospitality space, barbershop, and tattoo parlor. More than just a showroom, it's a dynamic and immersive experience inviting customers to indulge in exploration, delight, and rejuvenation.
3:20 pm - 3:45 pm
Takeaway Roundtables
With two and a half action packed days covering a plethora of topics around the store, what are some takeaways you want to implement when you get back to your offices?