As a baby boomer, I’m still scratching my head a bit about Muji, a Japanese retailer just launching its first U.S. stores. They offer unadorned home goods a few notches above IKEA’s. Yet they have an almost cult-like following. Muji devotees lined the sidewalks most of the day at Muji’s grand opening in New York City. Another IKEA-like store, CB2, also has a loyal following of post-boomers.

Both retailers seem to have struck a chord with a generation of “dedicated design heads” who like their furniture plain yet well-built, rejecting the perceived ostentatiousness of their parents’ generation when it comes to living with design.

After reading this article in The New York Times, I see that both retailers are gaining success by creating a buzz. They’ve opened stores in a neighborhood undergoing gentrification. They have well-trained salespeople who can relate to the target customers. The merchandise is hard to find anywhere else. It all adds up to shopping destinations or “adventure shopping,” as some call it. This is what affluent shoppers want, and they are more than willing to part with their hard-earned cash to be part of this buzz.

It’s not a new concept. Even the ancient Romans had exclusive shopping areas for the rich and powerful. Muji and CB2 are just the modern-day equivalents.

An up-and-coming location. Unique merchandise. Simpatico sales staff. It’s a formula for retail success. Make it part of your recipe as well. Always be on the lookout for the next hot trend, and be ready to jump on it. Remember, another retailer is lurking around the corner with another cool idea designed to siphon away your customers. Plan ahead and you’ll always be able to reverse the flow.