Federated Department Stores has taken an equity stake in a venture to give e-commerce retailers and others a physical mall presence, reports DMNews.

The Epicenter Collection, a Gordon Group Holdings venture started several years ago, is set to provide brands, catalog and e-commerce retailers a mall location.

The hybrid business model represents a growing trend in which e-tailers are beginning to set roots down in the real world. Shoppers will be able to use hand-held scanners to select items to for either immediate purchase or home delivery, thereby marrying the online and traditional shopping experience. Merchant partners will each operate their own branded space.

Federated leased a former Lord & Taylor location in Delaware for the opening of Epicenter's first store in exchange for an equity stake.