Ohio -- It's being call the retail apocalypse where underperforming stores are on the chopping block, or companies as a whole are closing.
Toys R Us, Sears and Kmart, and JCPenny are just a few hard hit victims.
The industry is changing to the meet the demands of the technology savvy millennials and even younger generations that have smart phones tethered to their hands.
David Staley, an OSU associate professor and director of the Humanities Institute, says shopping online and that convenience has really changed the industry demands.
"Convenience meaning bring things to me," he says. "Amazon are certainly grasping this. Amazon have really transformed the retail space."
However, he says that does not mean brick and mortar stores are completely going away.
"Obviously you're making purchases at a place like Ikea, but you're going as much for the experience of the Ikea. In fact, that's what Ikea is counting on."
For companies to stay alive, they need to deliver at least one of two things. They need to deliver convenience. Whether that is bringing it directly to your door and quickly, or providing a quick way for you to pick it up.
The other key ingredient is delivering an experience.
"The way a brand is experienced through sight, through sound, even through things like smell," he says. "There are some brands that are marketing, patenting a distinctive smell as part of the brand experience."
DSW is working to deliver that kind of unique experience to customers that come into their stores.
Its Polaris location outside of Columbus is considered the test lab store.
Currently, it features a nail salon, shoe repair, custom orthotics, and even a popup shop with decorations specifically to encourage shoppers to take Instagram photos.
That not only allows for a customer interaction and brand experience, but free marketing for DSW as well.
Another desire of millennials is to do business with an ethically sound company. So DSW offers a shoe donation program in exchange for rewards points.
"Those shoes are donated to a child in need," says Erin Kelly, DSW's VP of Innovation and Initiatives. "I think we've donated over 500,000 pairs."