Learning from Malibu

I recently spent a few enlightening hours at the Malibu Country Mart, just off the Pacific Coast Highway, north of Santa Monica. It’s a place known for its laid-back, flip-flop vibe.

I like the Country Mart.

A few year ago, I was engaged by a forward-thinking property owner to craft a data-driven merchandising strategy for a key parcel he wanted to develop behind the Country Mart and adjacent to a new Whole Foods.

The proposed project generated a lot of opposition and the landowner needed to convince the community he'd be a good neighbor. Celebrities like to find causes to rail about and this was one. At times it was hard to know if they were truly passionate about a cause or just needed to be in the media spotlight.

Dick Van Dyck even spoke on behalf of the songbirds.

I like songbirds too.
Maybe I should speak for them as well.

I collected vast amounts of consumer data from mobile analytics, and dug deep into the lifestyles, life stages, and buying characteristics of the Malibu community.

I engaged data scientists to search for movement by time of day and day of week tied to consumer behavior (grocery shopping, dining out) and lifestyle preferences. Visitors were traced back to their Zip+4 which typically includes 8-10 homes under the guiding principle "birds of a feather flock together." Once metamorphically into gated the colonies of Malibu and exclusive hillside neighborhoods, privacy compliant data bases were analyzed, and commonalities were discovered.

But data algorithms of home values, owned automobiles, GPS movement, subscriptions, and lists of purchased bar-coded stuff was just the start. I next immersed myself in the daily life of those who visited the public places, shops, and cafes of Malibu. Is that the nanny with the kids in the park or a parent? Is that a private chef shopping in Whole Foods or a permanent resident or someone staying in a second home for the weekend?

You only really learn this through close observation. A skill I picked up as a young kid.

Shopping just after store openings leads to engaging conversations and the real underlying story of a shopping center unfolds - if I listen.

Outside of Malibu's Taverna Tony, I’m taking photos - a man in a black suit, black shirt, and dark sunglasses was walking my way and shading his eyes with his hand as if to ward off the paparazzi, mistaking my real estate interest for celebrity hunting. A tad annoyed, I raised my voice and said, "get out of my photo" - perhaps a first for him. A bit startled, he inquired about my activities, and I shared that I was doing research for a new shopping center. A gravelly voice responded: "We don't need another shopping center," and I was equally responsive with - “sorry buddy but you’re going to get one – so you better tell me what you want to see in a new shopping center” which led to a spirited discussion about congestion, the importance of preserving the area's character, and “no national chain stores”. I then said, “what if” and proceeded to paint a picture.

He listened.

Our conversation ended.

He walked away, sliding into a vintage convertible Jaguar - the man was Al Pacino.

I always remind myself in these cases - “I’m just some guy from Kentucky.”