To combat inroads made by the online shopping world, department stores have been looking at new ways to provide on-site experiences that will compel shoppers to want to visit their stores. Two concepts getting a lot of play have been in-store, upscale restaurants and bar/lounge spaces that offer attractive spots for customers to relax and have a cocktail or a coffee.

This article on SmartBlog’s Food & Beverage website profiles recent high-profile activities by companies like Macys, Nordstrom, Brooks Brothers and Saks.

In a similar fashion, over the past year we have built and installed several custom bars for various hotel lobbies (the photo above is an example). A hotel’s lobby is a primary selling feature that can be a big difference maker from the competition and a key reason that people want to stay at or visit a certain hotel.

You don’t need to be that high-profile though. A cool wine bar or serving area within a wine store or grocery store, as an example, can draw people in for special wine tasting events. The same basic principle holds true here: provide an “experience” that people will want to drive to your store for. The best way to accomplish this is to develop a type of space that generates that “have you seen what they’re doing at …” buzz in your community.