What do the Suburbs of the Future Look Like?

The suburbs are changing, no doubt about it.

It’s been a grim few years for suburban American malls, with thousands of closures during the pandemic, and retailers still struggling to get back on their feet.

The forecast is even more bleak and apocalyptic for the brick-and-mortar shopping experience.

The “Homebody Economy” now reigns supreme.

For a long time now, e-commerce is no longer just an option for businesses that want to thrive. Consumers cherish value and convenience — loyalty discount programs and reliable delivery or curbside pick-up.

On the other hand, there’s another shift in the personality of the American suburb.

Most of the demand for new homes in the suburbs comes from Millennials — most of whom are former city-dwellers who are now looking for the livable well-being and peaceful environs that can only be found outside the city center.

But speak to these new suburbanites for just a few minutes, and you will find that, while they love their new homes, the space, the dedicated parking spot — there are just some things they miss tremendously.

Connection. Experiences. Vibe.

Chance encounters. Not having to drive for everything.

Daily rituals. Getting a really, really good cup of coffee at your favorite spot, with a smile. A freshly squeezed juice in the afternoon. A post-work cocktail.

Wait… So, on the one hand, we have the closure of traditional “meeting spots” like malls, that enabled commerce and community life in the suburbs. There is increased isolation, no-contact deliveries. Hybrid and work-from-home models are now commonplace. It’s really possible for some of us to spend the entire day alone.

On the other hand, the demand for city amenities is rising in the suburbs, and people are craving, above all, connection.

What do we do? Can we, in fact, have it all?

Herein lies the opportunity for companies to address the evolving needs of suburban residents.

It’s clear that consumers want both their “need-to-have” and “nice-to-have” items delivered to them. The resulting outcome is that suburban malls that survive — profitably — are becoming fewer and fewer.

And it’s crystal clear that a new space is emerging in suburban retail; now is the pivotal moment to reshape commerce and community in the suburbs.

Now, companies have the opportunity — even, the privilege — to redesign the template of suburban life.

Now, companies can re-imagine a future wherein they provide consumers with goods and services efficiently, but in a way that also reduces the isolation that has become so inherent in our modern lives.

Now is the moment to leverage technology to combine convenience and connection.

Digitally-enabled deliveries are crucial — and yet, not everything can be delivered in a brown box.

Delivery can and must evolve.

What if the city could, even just for a moment, come to the suburbs? What if walkability was an option in every suburb?

What if we could design suburbs in such a way that its residents could enjoy injected social rituals and experiences into their daily lives — without having to drive, and without compromising convenience?

Redesigning the concept of suburban living needs to incorporate a strategy that is both digitally enhanced as well as community-oriented, bringing the “best” of city life and reducing our tendencies towards isolation.

US-based start-up Zing is moving away from the anonymous, impersonal world of the brown-box delivery; of consumption without connection. It leverages a fully digital interface, advanced algorithms and big data to optimize and run a network of premium mobile cafes in the suburbs, hence enabling connection between neighbors, delivering fun urban experiences, and creating thriving communities.

Sign up at www.zingtheday.com for a redesigned suburban experience.