Customizing a Successful Fixture Program
Ginger Schmidt • August 20, 2018
With fixture programs, speed of delivery has always been one of the biggest measures of success. It makes sense. When revamping the experience in brand stores, a speedy fixture roll out and implementation helps the updated design become current and consistent across geographic locations.
When brand stores like Starbucks begin reducing their footprint worldwide, the consistent, comfortable brand presence may no longer be enough. More recently, many retail stores have been pursuing other approaches for a fixture rollout.
As Chain Store Age recently observed, “Where speed was once the primary goal for any rollout effort, the notion of nuanced, site-specific design sensitivity is becoming just as prevalent.”
Issues of unit economics and maintaining project schedules are sometimes cited as reasons that it is challenging to localize store concepts. However, there are any number of strategies that help to provide a localized element for at least some stores in a fixture roll out and implementation plan:
- Some retailers favor a focused approach to a fixture rollout, with efforts spent on redesigning a few flagship stores in key markets. A plan can be developed to create a certain percentage of community based formats, along with more cost efficient standardized locations.
- Each store can be designed to include local elements. In some cases, the local aesthetic can be accomplished by using locally sourced materials like stone on the exterior of the store, with prototypical design elements on the interior. Mod Pizza provides an example of a rapidly growing chain of restaurants that incorporates localized elements while maintaining the brand of the parent stores. Architectural elements within Mod Pizza locations pay homage to the original stores, while elements like a “Wall of Fame” with messages from the community create a local connection.
- Source a local artisan in each location to create and showcase a custom fixture, display, or work of art from identifiably local materials. Whole Foods is an example of a chain store where each store layout is designed to fit into the local market. The new Whole Foods Lakeview location in Chicago, designed as the flagship area store, features distinctly local murals from local artists in the parking garage and wine bar.
- One of the key components of an easily localized fixture program is the concept of modular displays. Modular store fixtures allow design flexibility in various store layouts, and also enable easy re-configuration and quick response to changing display needs. Beyond that, modules can often be specifically targeted with local content.
- Digital displays can also be customized with local content – but only if content management responsibility can be assigned to a local team member.
Localizing at least some retail store designs makes great business sense. For larger retailers, localized store concepts are nearly impossible for competitors to track, and therefore hard to copy. Retailers have learned through hard experience that look-alike stores just take a company one more step towards becoming a commodity, with slower growth and reduced profits.
Wherever you are in your design or redesign process, contact the professionals at Quarter20to work through next steps in creating and executing your custom fixture rollout and implementation.
Everyone is grappling with the realities of this pandemic. What it means for their business, customers, employees, and the future of their brand is uncertain. As dire as that sounds, always keep in mind, this will all end eventually. Quarter20 is always looking ahead, and now is no different. When people go into stores, what will they find and how will it be changed is a question that we are looking to answer.
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The evolution of the retail market has created a chasm between the online and offline experience. The transactional nature of e-commerce has created a consumer expectation of ultra-convenience, which retailers are incorporating at all levels of the purchase process. In the digital age of convenience, shopping online and in-store from the same retailer can feel different resulting in the massive adoption of technology to help build convenience in shopping experiences in online stores and brick-and-mortar stores. The following tips highlight the various ways that retailers can build a convenience store concept among their customers.
Anyone who has ever opened retail stores knows that success requires more than just renting space and opening the door. Taking a brand to new places can open the door for creativity in retail design. At Q20 we ask ‘what if’ a lot. We want to create new retail experiences that engage our client’s customers like never before. While asking ‘what if’ can expose us to the unknown, we support that question with a solid process that allows us to assist clients at any stage in their retail project. In this way, we access our team’s creativity within a structure that keeps projects on time, and on budget! We would like to offer some insight into our process to show how it supports creative new ways to deliver world class retail experiences. Take a look at the brief descriptions below and get in touch if we can help you in any of these stages for your retail development project. 1 . Design Engineering Retail store design starts with conceptualizing how to best use the space in order to fulfill the retailer's goals. We work together with our clients to establish those goals, researching sources for the right materials. Fixture requirements, modularity and capacity are all taken into consideration, ensuring adequate fixtures to properly display all of the store's goods. 2. Identify the Environment Our team works with clients to plan the use of the available space. This includes the marketing side of planning window display areas and merchandising for the retail store design. While this is happening, construction teams are working on site evaluation, permitting and regulatory factors that might affect the project. Because of restrictions imposed by the environment, each retail store design is unique. Restrictions must be taken into account early in the process, to ensure the best possible results for the retail construction and design project. 3. Engineering and Estimating We often explore a number of different options, seeking a mix that fits the client's budget. Drawings, specifications and initial pricing are prepared in this stage. At this point, clients make a decision on whether to build custom fixtures, source fixtures domestically or source them overseas to best meet their time and cost requirements. 4. Prototyping Fixtures With the concept well in hand, prototype sketches or models will be prepared, in a "proof of concept" process. All elements of the design must be vetted, to ensure that the fixtures will fit in the available space, provide the overall aesthetic appearance desired, and provide necessary display space. Further design modifications may be made based upon the results of the prototyping process. 5. Client Approval While the design process takes shape between the contractor and the retailer, this decision rests solely upon the customer's shoulders. Even so, like other stages of the process, it isn't about accepting or rejecting the overall concept, but rather seeking insight to further refine the design and make any additional changes that the customer deems necessary. 6. Engineering Updates Based upon the collaborative effort of the client approval process, engineering works to incorporate any necessary changes to the retail store design. Further drawings or prototypes are produced, as required, so the final design meets the customer's needs. 7. Fixture Production With approval of the design complete, it is time to begin production. We always start out with a first fixture fabrication to check that the design can be completed per the drawings and that the finished product will be the same as the prototypes. Potential problems with the manufacturing process are identified and rectified at this stage. Once everything looks good, any custom materials or tooling is created, and fabrication of the store's fixtures begins. There are two key elements in this stage of the process: quality control and transparency. It is the responsibility of our quality control team to ensure that each finished fixture matches the intent of the design. At the same time, the production process must be shared with the client, so they can see the progress and verify that the finished product is delivered to specification. 8. Retail Construction Management All the preceding steps lead up to the build-out. Once complete and the fixtures are installed, the retail store design will meet our customer's needs and provide a retail space which is attractive, effective and experiential. Installation of the fixtures is the high point for everyone in the team, as it is the cumulative result of the planning that went before. All fixtures are inspected to ensure their function and that they reflect the concept. We maintain close contact with our client through their opening or reopening to support them with any additional details needed to help ensure their success.
As legal cannabis sales continue to grow, there's a movement among dispensaries to improve the perception of cannabis, from educating consumers to providing a luxury buying experience. There is a growing trend across the industry to create spaces that are cutting-edge design statements and feature elegant décor and a one-of-a-kind, branded luxury buying experience. Cannabis dispensaries are giving designers like us a new canvas to explore. From incorporating natural materials like rich woods, stone, and bright lighting, to creating retail establishments in alternative spaces - creative dispensary design is working to brand cannabis retailing as a luxury experience. We are more than up for that challenge.
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