The Language of
Marketplace Crafting

I have created, invented, modified, or adapted combinations of words to form a unique language to describe my work focused on the “Art of Marketplace Crafting” while “Restoring Community in the Marketplace.”

Below I have shared some of my favorite terms pulled from a glossary of over 650 descriptions. Reach out to me for the full glossary.

Retail & Shopping Centers

Terms and expressions used by J. Richard Hill & Co. describing the presentation of retail brands in environments that extend far beyond purely transactional shopping centers and terms used to describe the merchandising of a shopping place.

  • Shopping and dining destinations designed to bring a brand to life through interactive experiences and enhanced consumer engagement.

  • Environments where retailers present their products, values, and stories in interactive experiences as a living and breathing extension of their brand.

  • The communication of a shopping center’s unique value through its merchant mix, design, amenities, and marketing, ensuring customers immediately understand its offerings and appeal.

  • The full composition of spatial layout, public areas, design, and curated merchants, forming a cohesive shopping environment.

  • The makeup of a shopping center’s merchant mix that is consistent, feels intuitive and complete to inform the shopper’s journey, seamless, intentional and yet one that encourages discovery.

Resorts

Resorts are rapidly changing to provide cultural immersion, retail, activities, and activations. A whole new generation of resort concepts are emerging in response. To facilitate communication of these trends we have refined the adjacent terms in our own language.

  • Experiences that provide genuine connections to a destination’s heritage, traditions, and local way of life.

  • A resort designed for deep engagement with local culture through hands-on activities, performances, and community interactions.

  • A self-contained resort in a distinctive setting where the primary draw is the resort experience rather than its surrounding area.

  • A hospitality-driven retail destination combining dining, entertainment, and shopping, typically in a warm-weather setting with integrated hotels.

  • A small-scale commercial hub within a resort, featuring boutique shops, cafes, and artisan spaces that enhance the guest experience.

Food Culture

Consumers are moving from the acquisition of things to the acquisition of experiences. Food Culture is the centering point in both resorts and lifestyle retail. Here are some key terms we use to describe the new culture of food.

  • A cluster of small cafes operating out of repurposed shipping containers arranged around an outdoor court with communal seating, a music stage, and festive lighting.

  • A high-level guest experience centered around the growing, raising, preparation, and presentation of chef-prepared food in a unique environment.

  • The traditions, practices, and preferences surrounding the growing, production, and consumption of food.

  • Small outlets within farm-to-table resorts, wine resorts, or roadside stands where local farmers and artisans sell their goods, creating a direct connection between producers and consumers.

  • An interactive dining experience where food products are displayed, and the preparation of the food is performed in a unique space in view of customers in a visually engaging manner.

Marketing

Real Estate Marketing is now data driven more than ever. J. Richard Hill & Co. orchestrates and directs data scientists and marketing creative specialists to achieve award winning results. Here are some key words to help better understand the cornerstones of property marketing.

  • The organizational structure of a master real estate brand, such as the name of a resort, and any sub-brands or extensions, including hotels, branded residences, and retail experiences.

  • The overarching story that communicates the essence of a property, connecting its values, purpose, and vision to the market.

  • A detailed, humanized version of the brand narrative, often incorporating the property's development journey, design choices, and the people behind the project.

  • The values, principles, and ideas that shape attractions, communities, hotels, resorts, or shopping centers programming, design, amenities, and experiences.

  • The strategy that takes a real estate property to market for sale or lease to achieve major marketing objectives.