IRREPLACEABLE
How to Create Extraordinary Places That Bring People Together
Buy It Now
About the Book
Do we still need physical places like grocery stores, restaurants, and office buildings? Or will the "Replacement Economy" led by the tech titans and retail giants wipe out these venues in their rapid ascent to unicorn status?
What about museums, universities, and performing arts venues? Is there still a place for these thousand-year-old institutions in our lives? Or are we holding onto them out of habit, guilt, or nostalgia?
Considering the power of technology today, can't we replace these relics with faster, cheaper, and more efficient online tools, apps, and AI?
Through exotic storytelling, human behavior insights, and proven design techniques, Kevin Kelley—an attention architect and cofounder of Shook Kelley, a strategic design firm that pioneered the field of "convening"—unfolds why physical places are essential to civil society, business, and community.
In these pages, he reveals what it takes for physical places to attract an audience and maintain a competitive edge in our increasingly digital world, whether you’re a:
Retail leader or institutional manager trying to attract people to your offering while keeping the disruptors at bay
Student of design who values social facilitation over object-oriented design
Concerned citizen worried about the loss of community and civility
Irreplaceable offers a welcomed antidote to the anti-human digital future crushing our main streets and infiltrating every corner of our lives through surveillance capitalism. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for creating human experiences that have the power to convene and bring friends, neighbors, and strangers together in prosocial environments in ways the digital replacements can't replicate.
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"Award-winning architect Kevin Ervin Kelley presents a book that is an antidote to the anti-human digital future, offering a compelling vision for creating spaces that truly bring us together...With real-life examples and practical recommendations, Irreplaceable is a call to action to foster cultures of belonging."
- Leo Cremonezi, Financial Times, A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Month
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“Architecture in the 21st Century is finally being answerable to people, not edifice creation. Kevin Kelley, a friend and colleague for more than 30 years, has been one of the pioneers. We are both dedicated observers. His contribution to the humanization of modern design has been critically important. This book is long overdue.”
– Paco Underhill, Founder, Envirosell Inc., and Author, Why We Buy, What Women Want, Call of the Mall, and How We Eat
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"'Irreplaceable' is a triumph! Both a badly needed manifesto on why physical place matters now more than ever in our lives, and a how-to manual for building a physical environment that fosters true community. Kevin Kelley is a master observer who has been quietly sitting in our gas stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, and shopping malls for decades, studying us humans in real time.”
– Benjamin Lorr, Author, The Secret Life of Groceries
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“In an age of remote work and social isolation, having a meaningful place to connect is so important. In Irreplaceable, Kevin Kelley pulls back the curtain on how to reimagine and create places that help us thrive together. We have experienced Kevin and his team's work firsthand in our 'place' of business with his vision in repurposing a historic 100-year-old factory into a state-of-the-art innovation center that brings us together.”
– Richard Smucker, Chairman Emeritus, The J.M. Smucker Company
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“Kelley’s goal as an architect is to make common places feel special. We all convene in stores, restaurants, gyms, museums, movie theaters, and airports, but too often, the experience is physically and mentally draining. It doesn’t have to be—read Irreplaceable."
– Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, emeritus, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and Author, Marketing Management
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“Kevin Kelley has an electrifying vision for the future of public space, and Irreplaceable is a must-read blueprint for anyone in the business of bringing folks together in real life. An entertaining, fascinating, and deeply informed master class on the art of persuading people to gather physically—one that makes a passionate case for human-oriented places in our increasingly digitized world.”
– Joe Fassler, Author, Light the Dark, and former The Atlantic columnist
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“'Irreplaceable' explores the profound impact of built environments on our sense of belonging and identity. Through engaging examples, Kevin Kelley illustrates how design choices shape our behaviors, emotions, and interactions with spaces. This thought-provoking book is a must-read for retail, brand marketing, real estate planning professionals, and general enthusiasts.”
– Walt Zola, Chief Customer Officer, Newman’s Own Inc.
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“Kevin Kelley has created a must-have playbook for any physical enterprise striving to stay relevant in an increasingly virtual world. A keen observer of how people convene, he shares vivid examples of creating trailblazing spaces that successfully bring people together at the intersection of commerce and community. His passion to 'make the everyday places of our lives extraordinary' speaks to all who believe the need for vibrant in-person engagement is more important than ever.”
– John Bagan, President & CEO, Gelson’s Markets
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“'Irreplaceable' is a profound observation of our everyday spaces and places—built and natural—and the ways in which we humans navigate them in search of connection and meaning.”
– Greg Fuson, Designer of Conferences, Experiences and Engagement, PCBC (Pacific Coast Builders Conference)
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“In this time of accelerated and unprecedented digital commerce, Kevin Kelley captures the necessity of PLACE for all of humanity and provides a guide to those who want to create “THE PLACE” in their respective operating segment! A must-read for all retail leaders.”
– Tony Harris, former President/COO, Thornton’s Inc.
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“Kevin lays bare the importance of truly understanding people— beyond a ‘consumer’ or ‘shopper’ label— for anyone who touches the world of retail. As this world continues to evolve, ‘Irreplaceable’ provides a framework and call to action for retailers to consider how their physical stores can themselves become a strategic asset and differentiator for the future.”
– Jean Ryan, Vice President, Strategic Advisory, Daymon
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“Kevin is able to visualize space, unlike anyone I have met. He observes customers and their behavior like it is a sporting event. He’s a master at strategy and branding and can smoothly transition his work into a concept. Best of all, he can articulate his thoughts with clarity, and using his highly descriptive language, our teams are able to implement with meaning.”
– Doug Lovsin, President, Freson Bros.
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“Kevin uniquely understands human behavior and how structure, color, form, lighting, and graphics affect actions. I have truly enjoyed his and the team's insight and work over a 30-year working relationship. “
– Rich Niemann, Jr., President and CEO, Niemann Foods, Inc. (NFI)
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“An extraordinary synthesis of science, design, psychology, and anthropology, Kevin Kelley provides a rigorously insightful and pertinent work in the study of places and successful placemaking. At the forefront of his field as a practitioner, researcher, and thinker, Kelley makes enlightening connections in explaining the multifaceted aspects and interplay of people and space.”
– Nick Zaharov, Vice President of Development, DWS Group (RREEF), and Faculty, USC Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program
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“In a world obsessed with digital landscapes, 'Irreplaceable' brings us back to the irreplaceable value of physical space. Kevin takes us on a transformative journey through the places that make us human and is a masterclass in the architecture of the soul. From the aisles of grocery stores to the showrooms of Harley dealerships, 'Irreplaceable' offers a compelling vision for creating spaces that truly bring us together. A game-changer in the field of design and beyond.”
– Andy Murray, Founder, Big Quest, and former SVP Marketing, Walmart
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“I had a very good fortune in working closely with Kevin Kelley in reenergizing Charlotte Center City. A visit to Charlotte today will provide a look at Kevin’s imprint in crowd-pleasing markets, attractive public spaces, popular restaurants, and a built-out light rail system. Through his vision, he showed that truly great cities are built through a collection of amenities, with a keen focus on character and creativity. A lesson I have carried with me.”
– Rob Walsh, former NYC Small Business Services Commissioner during the Bloomberg Administration, and Adjunct Professor, Columbia University
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“Everything that made for some of the most impactful and exciting projects in my career all brought to life in this amazing new book from Kevin Kelley! If you want to accelerate sales and deliver extraordinary experiences for your shoppers, this is a must-read!”
– Craig Simon, Vice President, Customer Strategy, Mondelez & Cadbury
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“I’m not surprised that I love Kevin Kelley’s new book, ‘Irreplaceable.’ His human behavior-centered design process is unlike anything I have seen or heard of from anyone else throughout my 43-year career working with architects. This is a book that anyone could enjoy and learn from.”
– Mark C. Zweig, Entrepreneur In-Residence, Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, and Chairman & Founder, Zweig Group, and Author, Confessions of an Entrepreneur
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“All great brands seek to develop a relationship, a dialogue, with their consumers beyond the simple transaction. Regrettably, for food manufacturers, the grocery store ‘place,’ where that engagement most directly exists, is built for shopping and operational efficiency, not the nurturing of that relationship. Kevin and Shook Kelley recognize that by creating a store, aisle, or section that enables the deepening of that relationship through environmental design cues, the shopper is more likely to engage with the brand. By creating a space that connects the positive thoughts and feelings they hold about the eating occasion with the product itself, the glorious moment of placing the brand in the basket is achieved.”
– Ric Noreen, former Kraft Foods VP, Global Sales Strategy, and Managing Partner, Waypoint Strategic Solutions, LLC
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“The spaces Kevin and his team creates, and his passion for activating our primal desire to go out and experience the world…all brought together for us to enjoy in ‘Irreplaceable.’”
– Doug Scholz, SVP, Chief Operating Officer, California Grocers Association
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“Kevin Kelley redefined branding for me in such a profound way that as the Chief Marketing Officer for Pepperdine, a top 100 nationally ranked university, I often asked myself when making critical decisions, ‘What would Kevin do?’ I’m so glad the world will get a sneak peek into the inner workings of Kevin’s mind and the importance of creating meaningful experiences and sacred spaces that strengthen both brands and our communities in this revolutionary book.”
– Rick Gibson, Senior Vice Chancellor, Pepperdine University
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“More than a reflection on the past, ‘Irreplaceable’ is a powerful call to action for the present and future. It urges us to cherish, preserve, and invest in these shared spaces as the lifeblood of our communities. As we increasingly feel disconnected, this book champions the importance of face-to-face interactions in fostering human connection. Most importantly, Kevin Kelley’s book tells us how to build, maintain, and promote these places.”
– Harvey Lung, Partner, Lung Rose Voss & Wagnild
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“Fascinating deep-dive into human behavior and in-depth guide to design spaces and places that bring us together. Irreplaceable is not only an inspiring and actionable read, but much needed in our disconnected world to build cultures of belonging.
– Kim Dabbs, Global Vice President, ESG & Social Innovation, Steelcase, and Author, You Belong Here
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“Reading this book has been so refreshing and I loved the stories that are told. Kevin Kelley reminds us why place matters and makes it clear that bringing people together is more important than ever. As our communities continue to fragment and subdivide into smaller and smaller digital pockets, that sense of place can become less and less obvious. There is a reason we go to conventions, sit in pubs, or visit the Harley dealership, and Kevin Kelley does a wonderful job of reminding us that at the root of it all being together is what it is to be human, and therefore, the importance of being proactive in creating extraordinary spaces is mission critical in today’s world.”
– Ross Binnie, Chief Brand Officer, The Cleveland Orchestra
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"Kevin showed us that there is more to design than brick and mortar and how to develop a brand we desired to create beyond our Harley-Davidson dealerships. With a tremendous depth of understanding of consumer psychology and physical spaces, Shook Kelley identified who we were at the core and helped us bring our brand to life via dealership locations, culture, community, and frankly, it became the backbone of our team. Kevin and his team have the ability to turn an idea into a space (physical or virtual) where people gather and engage in unforgettable experiences.”
– Scott Fischer, CEO of Scott Fischer Enterprises, Thunderbird Harley-Davidson and Santa Fe Harley-Davidson
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“In his new book ‘Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places that Bring People Together,’ Kevin Kelley establishes the socio-economic value of creating places for communities to convene and shares his authentic self: an avid student of human behavior. Through his gift for storytelling, Kevin explores the complex motivations and relationships that drive people to convene and demonstrates how architecture is about far more than a physical structure or design concept.”
— Julie Kim, Vice President, Production, New York Philharmonic
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"Based on decades of design experience, Kevin understands what makes people want to spend time in a place. Having interviewed Kevin about supermarket design, I found it impossible to edit his insights down to the handful of quotes I had space for. Thank goodness Kevin has written Irreplaceable, an essential repository of wisdom on what makes our shared spaces so valuable."
— Corey Mintz, food reporter, hospitality consultant, author of The Next Supper: The End of Restaurants as We Knew Them, And What Comes After
Kevin Ervin Kelley
Co-Founder of Shook Kelley
Kevin Kelley, AIA is a principal of Shook Kelley, a strategic design firm he cofounded with Terry Shook, FAIA, in 1992 in Charlotte, NC. Since 2002, Kevin has headed up the Los Angeles office of the firm and works with a team of Perception Managers and Experience Designers. Kevin holds two degrees in architecture from the University of NC at Charlotte and has spent much of his career developing a process that combines business, science, and design into one integrated approach he calls perception design. Kevin’s specialty is getting inside the minds of consumers to determine how the physical environment affects their behaviors, perceptions, and purchase decisions.
Kevin has worked closely with the executive leaders of many well-known companies, such as Harley-Davidson, Whole Foods, Kraft, Cadbury, The J.M. Smucker Company, The Cleveland Orchestra, and USAA, in their efforts to develop new kinds of immersive brand experiences that have the power to convene people in places. He has also taught courses at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a sought-after speaker on the lecture circuit in the US and Asia.
Connect.
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Please contact Nick Davies at nick@fortierpr.com
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Please contact Shook Kelley at speakers@shookkelley.com
Press Room
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Financial Times
March 2024
Leo Cremonezi writes about Irreplaceable as a Business Book of the Month!
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Wisconsin Public Radio
March 2024
Larry Meiller interviews Kevin about the meaning of “place” and helping communities come together
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Fast Company
January 15, 2024
Kevin considers what Alfred Hitchcock can teach us about designing a great retail experience
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Big Think
March 12, 2024
The office is broken: Can conceptual “atom smashing” repair it? Kevin sounds the alarm for workplace culture — and argues for a “big bang” collision of forms and shapes.