Saks Fifth Avenue Launches Experiential Wellness Concept

NEW YORK, United States — American department store Saks Fifth Avenue has launched a new 16,000 square foot space dedicated to immersive wellness experiences.

The Wellery, featuring a curated edit of the best products, classes and wellness services in New York, is comprised of 22 individual spaces offering visitors fitness classes and equipment, activewear, skincare products and treatments. The concept follows a similar model to that of the Body Studio by Selfridges, in which the British retailer transformed an area of its flagship department store into a state-of-the-art fitness space, last year.

With a long history of creating breakthrough, experiential environments in its stores, the Saks Wellery continues Saks tradition of elevating shopping to a higher level by building exciting customer experiences, said Saks Fifth Avenue Chief Merchant Tracy Margolies.

“We want the Saks Wellery to be a sanctuary for our customers — a place to find peace and solace in the middle of our bustling city,” she explained.

As well as housing a dedicated concierge, to direct customers or help them determine which offerings best suit their wellness needs, the Saks Studio space will host wellness-focused events, including reiki healing, meditation, massages, and more. Visitors will also have the opportunity to try salt therapy, hydrogen-infused water, and new, innovative treatments including non-invasive body contouring and hi-tech facials.

With the world continuing to shift towards an ‘experience’ economy, creating engagement through classes, workshops and in-store treatments such as these, is a route more and more retailers are exploring.

According to Eventbrite’s nationwide research of millennials; “for millennials, happiness isn’t as focused on possessions or career status. Living a meaningful, happy life is about creating, sharing and capturing memories earned through experiences that span the spectrum of life’s opportunities.”

However, although consumers are demanding more wellness experiences, they don’t necessarily have the extra time needed to spend on that part of their lives, Saks Fashion Director Roopal Patel told AOL.

For retailers like Saks, that are able to create the wellness experiences millennials are craving, in a convenient and flexible manner, they have the potential to command attention from a generation that is about to enter its prime spending years.