EDENS' Lab 1270, Located at DC'S Union Market, Takes Home First Place in The Visual Merchandising and Store Design Magazine's International Visual Competition

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EDENS' Lab 1270, housed in Washington, D.C.'s Union Market District, was presented the first place award for The Visual Merchandising and Store Design Magazine's (VMSD) International Visual Competition in the temporary/pop-up retail category.

Lab 1270, a retail plus concept shop, is a space where retailers and members of the DC creative community combine forces to form a retail experience where businesses can launch, scale and spark engagement. With a rotating line up of pop-up shops, artist instillations, co-working space, chef dinners, community classes and an entrepreneurial speakers series, Lab 1270 is the new face of retail.

"We are proud of Lab 1270," explains Jennifer Maguire Isham, Director of Strategy for EDENS. "Retail is being disrupted, consumers want to engage with the people behind the brands, learn their stories, connect, and have a new experience.  Lab 1270 is shopping redefined."

Photographer Gary "Master" Williams, one of Lab 1270's featured artists, believes in the new retail plus concept. "In today's society, I think the foundational concept of community has been lost. And sometimes, in large cities such as DC, it's hard to develop that authentic community and support due to the faster pace of life," says Williams. "Union Market has done well in building a space that not only provides a place for the community to gather, but invites and welcomes them."

For participants at Lab 1270, it is an opportunity to trade best practices in running and launching businesses. Sarween Salih, owner of S3 Active explained, "Lab1270 has provided me with a physical platform to scale my business to the next level."

"Having the opportunity to bring our ideas to life at Union Market and within Lab 1270 is such a creative boost of energy for us," says No Kings Collective co-founder Brandon Hill. "The Union Market district is a vibrant and important community in the city, so it only makes sense that we'd want to create and curate and come up with new concepts at a place that feels like home for us."

"We are thrilled and honored that VMSD recognizes the unique and forward looking experience we have created for retailers and artists," says EDENS Director of Design, Norma Morales Perez. "Lab 1270 is bringing together game-changing talents across many different retail disciplines, and giving them a flexible space to reach shoppers on an intimate, grassroots level."

Selected by industry experts, the 23^nd annual International Visual Competition, presented by VMSD Magazine, highlights visual display achievements of a limited shelf life. The magazine itself showcases the latest designs and visual presentations, presents merchandising strategies and new products and reports the latest industry news and events.

Lab1270 opened in November 2015. It's played host to numerous events, workshops and exhibits, establishing itself as a place of creative ideas and innovation. Lab1270's inspired approach to retail has grabbed the attention of national media as well as garnered several accolades including the Gold award for Marketing Excellence at the recent International Council of Shopping Centers's (ICSC) Maxi Awards.

ABOUT UNION MARKET 
Union Market, located a short walk from the NoMa/Gallaudet metro, is a 45-acre district that is planned for over 8 MSF of development. EDENS has a clear vision to redevelop the district into one of DC's most vibrant, diverse and thriving neighborhoods—a living laboratory for a sustainable urban community. Since opening in September 2012, The Market at Union Market, the acclaimed food market with over 40 local artisans, now averages 15,000 visitors per weekend and has hosted over 400 events. Union Market is a place where businesses scale and grow – where neighbors, students, DC transplants, artists and tourists come to find a community they can shape and call their own. For more information about Union Market, please visit www.unionmarketdc.com.

ABOUT EDENS
EDENS develops, owns and operates community shopping centers in primary markets across the country. Focusing on innovative development and redevelopment together with key acquisitions in urban areas, the company has built an institutional-quality portfolio of more than 120 retail centers. EDENS has regional headquarters in Boston, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Houston and Columbia, SC. For additional information about the company and its retail real estate portfolio, please visit www.edens.com.

SOURCE EDENS