Every Thursday between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. the lights are steamed and noises are reduced. A total of 20 trading companies take part in the initiative in the city center. Shopping should become barrier -free, and the public space is more accessible. The ‘silent hour’ is aimed particularly at people with autism, anxiety disorders, sensory hypersensitivity or other restrictions. But not only these seem to benefit.
How does a shopping center reduce stimuli?
The Luisenforum shopping center, which is also one of its tenants branches such as Lascana or Betty Barclay, is part of the initiative from the start.
“It was immediately clear to me that we would take part as a Luisenforum, because a lovely reduced environment not only makes everyday life and access to the city center with special sensory needs, but also creates a more pleasant atmosphere for everyone,” says center manager Janine Marz from Savills Property Management.
For the ‘quiet hour’, the light is switched off on the shop streets in the Luisenforum, and no more music is running, Marz says by email. Additional seating options were also set up, including on the first floor as part of the Work & Relax Lounge of the Luisenforum.
On the third floor in front of the office of center management, a retreat was set up, where people can be in peace for themselves. There will soon be also a shopping spate: inside that should help to go shopping more relaxed.
Refugee overflowing for people is growing
For some people, visiting a city center can be very exhausting, because they perceive noises and movements more intensively than others. A shopping trip is not a pleasure in the middle of a flood of stimuli, but quickly becomes an overwhelming, costs strength and stress. So far, your needs have not yet been taken into account in a society, in which a lot is designed for so -called “neurotypical” people. This is also due to the fact that consciousness and knowledge lack.
The ‘Silent Hour’ project of the state capital Wiesbaden in cooperation with the initiative “Together together EV” and the state of Hesse should give space to these needs. In addition to reducing stimuli, retreats-like in the Luisenforum-also help people who urgently need a break in the shopping crash.
All shops in the Luisenforum have sensitized their employees and many shops take additional measures, says Marz. The electronics provider Saturn offers its own retreat on the second floor and switches off 40 percent of the screens.
Rest instead of stimulating overflowing in the trade
Andrea Vienna, managing director of the mountain Loft in Wiesbaden says, says people who want to generate attention due to the noise or the lights. “Very few people are still fun.”
She joined the ‘Silent Hour’ initiative because she appreciates that the city wants to raise awareness of the topic of sensitive people. For them, there is a quiet shopping atmosphere, but nothing “extraordinary”. That was already part of the concept of the flagship store of the Outdoor brand Maloja. The brand is very important and human-oriented, emphasizes Vienna.
“We attach great importance to the person who comes to us,” she says during a phone call. “If you value it, you don’t bang them with any noises and lights to enchant them, but try this with your goods, brand and your personality and make people a good time.”
In addition to the clothing of Maloja, backpacks and fragrance candles are also offered, the store exudes nature closeness with the many wooden elements. “I know that humanity is completely stressed anyway and then they should simply experience peace in the store,” adds Vienna.
Positive reactions
Although much does not have to be changed in the shop itself because of the already steamed light, Vienna is also happy that she has learned more through the initiative. She was not aware before that there were many sensitive people that can trigger migraines, among other things, and therefore people want to avoid shops or do not want to be addressed.
At the ‘quiet hour’ the quiet background music is switched off in the mountain loft, the door remains so that it does not squeak or closed with a loud bang. Vienna, who otherwise approaches her customers directly and offers a drink, waits until they start a conversation or give a sign after entering.
The ‘silent hour’ has not yet taken place often enough to talk more about the reactions of the customers, says Vienna. This is also written by Emil Gavrov, Managing Director of Concept Stores Sister Roots by email. The changeover was also uncomplicated for his store: “Our small concept store is generally designed with a living room atmosphere, so that we already live many elements such as calm, retreat and flexibility.”
In addition to the customers, the initiative and the more pleasant atmosphere when shopping also benefit in addition to the customers: the employees in the participating shops, Luisenforum manager Marz says. The reactions are very positive and it is striking that there is a different, more relaxed atmosphere in the center in these two hours.
“The whole initiative lives from many small measures and grows,” says the center manager. “I am firmly convinced that more shops will join Wiesbaden, because it is good for everyone to shop.”