Venture-backed retail innovation company IEM has partnered with a leading real estate investment trust, Simon to launch a groundbreaking experiential retail platform. Built specifically to help high-growth, digitally native brands scale into brick-and-mortar locations, the new model offers a quick, flexible, and efficient path into physical retail.
At the core of the platform are premium, 10x15-foot branded ‘micro spaces.’ These experiential environments are strategically positioned in the highest-traffic common areas of premier shopping destinations. They function as dynamic brand showcases, giving shoppers the essential opportunity to touch, feel, and engage with physical products before purchasing.
Crucially, these micro spaces are designed to act as retail incubators. By offering short-term leases and subsidized rents, IEM allows brands to test market demand, minimize financial risk, and gain maximum visibility without committing to the complexities and costs of traditional long-term retail leases.
IEM backs this physical presence with a modular, turnkey service model. Brands can choose the exact level of support they need from an a-la-carte menu, including design and production, staffing, day-to-day operations, and performance reporting. This flexible approach drastically reduces a brand’s upfront investment while enabling rapid market entry and measurable results.
The platform is already demonstrating strong momentum. IEM has partnered with six emerging brands across categories like performance footwear, modern eyewear, and formalwear. Three of these - OOFOS, Generation Tux, and Caddis Eyewear - have already successfully launched experiential retail environments. Three additional brands are slated to open in high-performing centers later this year and into early 2026.
IEM is built to provide turnkey, data-driven activations tailored for the evolving retail landscape, empowering online brands to launch physical locations with speed, impact, and confidence.
