Please note:This audiobook has been generated using AI Voice. This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The woman in the example above was a thief, but she wasn't the only one. Department stores and other retail spaces designed to generate an emotional response from customers rather than a practical one caught on with the upper class and bored women began shoplifting to entertain themselves. #2 The department store, which was a culmination of many retail concepts that had emerged over the previous century, was a watershed moment in the history of consumer society. It was a triumph of audacity and innovation, and it introduced many new technologies. #3 Department stores were the first to introduce technological and retail innovations. They were also cultural pioneers, and their presence at the heart of large cities sparked debates and even violence around issues that would define the twentieth century. #4 The NCREIF Property Index, which is a measure of the value and performance of office, apartment, hotel, industrial, and retail properties owned by or on behalf of tax-exempt institutional investors, has shown that retail assets are an important part of institutional portfolios.