EDENS, the retail real estate owner, operator and developer of a nationally-leading portfolio of 125 community places, announced today its collaboration with Guesst, the innovative retail technology platform that streamlines partnerships between retailers, owners and brands, to unveil an experiential retail “co-op” for the independent, maker and direct-to-consumer retail brands. The concept will launch in the Union Market District in Washington, DC in November ahead of the holiday season.
The collaboration between EDENS and Guesst, named “In Seven Words,” will host a collective of brands across various categories, such as home, fashion, literature and art, offering a physical experiential platform for curated retailers and a canvas for routine community experiences. “In Seven Words” will launch with a 1500-square-foot space at 1268 4th St NE, Washington, DC, adjacent to the newly opened La Cosecha, the contemporary marketplace celebrating Latin American culture.
“We know that the future of retail is about human engagement and meaningful storytelling. “In Seven Words” is a concept that will help us thoughtfully tell the stories of our retail partners, their purpose and their guest in way that creates meaningful content for our community’s lives,” said Jodie W. McLean, CEO of EDENS. “Our purpose is to enrich the community and that is at the core of all we do. We are thrilled to collaborate and integrate the Guesst technology platform for this innovative project at Union Market District.”
Authors, or store curators, will be invited to share their seven-word narrative as a point of view for the concept’s weekly experiences, brand merchandise placements and visual media creation, which will evolve with seasonal and organic editing. The Union Market District launch location boasts a historic storefront and a minimal industrial aesthetic, which is layered into the project’s design and is depicted in the released concept rendering.
Guesst’s proprietary technology will facilitate all sales transactions, payments, inventory tracking and data reporting, streamlining and automating the operation for both the EDENS team and the brands they partner with. Guesst software will also allow the EDENS team to continually source and connect with new, compatible brands through the platform’s intuitive search and live chat functions.
“A core aspect of the Guesst platform’s mission is to empower brands and retailers to add more value to the community as a whole,” said Jay Norris, founder and CEO of Guesst. “The EDENS team shares our vision that this collective of upscale heritage, indie and direct-to-consumer brands, powered by Guesst, will nurture the Union Market District community and will act as an essential amenity to create compelling moments for its residents and guests.”
