STOREBEST INDUSTRY NEWS

As one of Ireland’s leading shopfitters, we like to keep abreast of everything that’s happening in our industry. Here are some of the highlights from January.

FAO Schwarz’s International Expansion Includes Dublin Store

The New York-based toy retailer has opened new stores all over the world, including Dublin, London, and a new flagship store in Beijing. The Dublin store is located in the Historic Arnotts department store. The space includes flexible pop-up spaces designed to host film and product launches. FAO Schwarz are committed to improving customer experience, with stores including a discovery centre manned by a mad scientist that performs experiments to help teach STEM subjects.

Nivea Open New Rome Store

Nivea have opened a new store in Rome designed by Matteo Thun & Partners. The brand’s colours and circular logo feature heavily in the design, with lots of neutral and natural materials used. The flooring is made from Walnut while the shelving is constructed from Oak. The wood helps to provide a welcoming but plain background that helps to highlight the products. The design also incorporates a spotlight lighting system that is easily adjustable, allowing employees to adapt the lighting to suit the displays being used. They also avoid the use of any in-store promotions, instead opting for a consistently calming atmosphere that reinforces the brand’s core values.

Click & Collect Growth

Consumers choosing to shop online but collect in person continues to increase. 2019 saw an 8.2% increase on the previous year. Argos were the first to implement the system, but consumer impatience has made the model popular for many retailers. It also increases the number of consumers physically entering retail premises, which gives retailers an opportunity to engage them. A successful example of this is Superdrug’s 30-minute click and collect scheme. It allows users to check stock levels, purchase the product, then collect their item within 30-minutes.

David Yurman Opens New Flagship Store

The Jewellery brand has opened a new three storey flagship store in New York. The building’s mid-century classic styling is in contrast to vintage and modern aesthetic found throughout the store. It features classic glass cases to showcase jewellery, leafy plants, organic tables, and shearling chairs. Customers can take advantage of wireless mobile charging and mobile checkout points.

Collette’s First European Store Opens in London

Collette is a mixture of a traditional deli with curated ingredients for the home kitchen. The produce is sourced from sustainable suppliers and includes a selection of fine wines and champagnes. Hannah Grievson, property director at Sloane Stanley, says of Collette’s new store, ‘With a stunning interior fitout and a discerning foodie customer base from the local area, we are confident the brand will quickly become an established Fulham Road favourite.’

The White Crow Opens in Ahmedabad, India

The White Crow showcases both local and world-famous fashion brands. The unique interior design is based on a birds-eye-view of various cities, bringing larger aesthetics from the outside world into a retail environment. From tram track floor designs to shelving designed to be reminiscent of high-rise buildings, the bespoke cityscape theme is obvious in every aspect of the design. The custom-made fixtures are designed specifically for each brand and utilise an interesting range of materials.

Marks & Spencer to use IoT to Control all Lighting

Marks & Spencer are working on different ways of centrally controlling the lighting in all their stores and distribution centres. They believe innovative solutions will bring significant operational and environmental benefits. It will provide managers with an overview of energy consumption. Marks & Spencer have successfully completed a test of the system in one of their Bristol stores, but could potentially roll out the system to as many as 300 locations. The system incorporates all aspects of lighting, including exterior, refrigeration, and up-lighting. They hope it will help them to be more responsive, cutting costs and reaching their sustainability goals.

British Retail Consortium Issues Report Calling for Zero-Tariff Trade

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) are calling on the UK government to ensure all the necessary processes, infrastructure, and agreements are in place before the January 2021 deadline. They warn that failure to achieve this will lead to increased prices and reduced availability for consumers. The CEO of the BRC, Helen Dickinson said, ‘Higher tariffs and extensive checks will harm consumers, retailers, and the UK economy.’ Minimising the amount of disruption to UK trade in January 2021 will be crucial to its retailers and the companies from the EU that supply them.

2019 Design Impact Award Winners

ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) announced the 2019 Design Impact Award winners. The winners included GlobalShop’s Senseon Plus, which is a next generation intelligent cabinet access control locking solution. It aids loss prevention and increases efficiency of operation and merchandising. Another winner was Lonseal Flooring for Lonstrand Topseal. Mimicking the bark of a tree, the flooring reduces stress and improves cognitive function and creativity. The Garden Walk Collection from Environments for Aging was another winner that utilised fluid movement to allude to organic materials that embrace the natural world.

Under Armour Utilise App Data

Under Armour’s fitness app is now the number one health and fitness app. It averages 70,000 downloads every day and has connected them to 300 million consumers. As customer experience becomes increasingly important, insightful data can help to shape the experience to suit your customers perfectly. There new marketing campaign is built around connected fitness, with their latest Hovr shoes range incorporating a chip that records distance covered, speed, and cadence among other things users might find helpful.

Do you need help building your perfect retail space?

Storebest are leading commercial shopfitters based in Dublin. We can draw on more than 35-years experience and exceptional industry knowledge to design your perfect interior. Our team of highly qualified professionals create designs to grow your business and realise the full potential of your space. Our experience means we are well versed with all aspects of design, which allows us to execute your project seamlessly, whatever your budget.