Towards a research agenda for high street atmospheres

A comprehensive analysis of urban retail and consumption transformations across diverse global and under-represented contexts In an era defined by rapid urbanization, technological innovation, and shifting consumption patterns, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the City, Retail and Consumption is an essential reference for scholars and practitioners alike. Thirty-four chapters by an international panel of experts address the critical need for a comprehensive, global perspective on the evolving relationship between urban life, retail formats, and consumption practices. The contributing authors trace the transformative impact of post-industrial and post-pandemic contexts on consumption districts, shopping malls, and public squares while highlighting the social, cultural, and environmental factors that underpin contemporary retail landscapes. Moving beyond descriptive analysis, the Companion delves into the digitalization of urban retail and its ramifications for consumer behavior and placemaking. It examines omnichannel strategies, platform economies, and emerging phygital experiences that redefine how city dwellers shop, as well as the governance models shaping the future of shopping districts worldwide. The volume incorporates under represented regions from Asia, Latin America, and beyond—ensuring readers gain a truly inclusive understanding of urban retail dynamics. A foundational text that illuminates current debates and charts promising avenues for future research, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the City, Retail and Consumption: Presents an interdisciplinary framework combining geography, architecture, sociology, marketing, and urban planning perspectives Analyzes the digitalization of retail, including omnichannel strategies, platform economies, and phygital experiences Explores evolving consumption practices through the lenses of class, gender, ethnicity, and sensory experience Investigates novel governance models for urban shopping districts and their policy implications Integrates cutting-edge methods and detailed case studies to inform both scholarship and practice Balancing theoretical rigor with practical insights, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the City, Retail and Consumption is indispensable for advanced undergraduates, postgraduate students, and researchers in geography, architecture, urbanism, marketing, management, and sociology. It is an ideal textbook for Urban Geography, Retail Geography, Sociology of Consumption, and Sustainable Urban Design courses and serves as an invaluable reference for urban planners, retail consultants, and policy advisors.