STORES Magazine - August 2008 - (Page 30)

EXECUTIVE SUITE / STORE DESIGN golden wood floor and plump leather upholstered benches. Next door, the Concepts prototype showcasing “streetwear” offers a decidedly different take, not only from an interior design perspective but also in terms of the overall shopping experience. Where The Tannery is sleek, bright, open and calm, Soldier Design referenced Concepts’ 1996 beginnings as the spot for skateboarders by designing plies made of the highest-quality plywood to ring perimeter walls. The result here is darker and more moody. Architecturally these curved plies (a warm brown color accented with stainless steel), create a cavernous ribbed aesthetic while functioning as fixtures to prominently showcase footwear from Nike, Double RL, Nice Collective, Comme des Garçons and DevilCLOT. A decision to drop virtually all vendorsupplied fixtures and in-store graphics allows Concepts to establish it’s own identity and become a brand unto itself. The buzz is below Concepts’ skate, street and sneaker ambience attracts style mavens (the majority of Concepts’ customers are men) as well as discriminating professors and professionals from surrounding universities. Its merchandise skews to a younger demographic seeking exclusive or limited-edition goods from Timberland, New Balance, Common Projects and Nike, among others. (Concepts is among two dozen or so retailers nationwide to receive select Nike Tier 1 footwear styles not available elsewhere.) Then there’s “Concepts On-Air,” a broadcast video studio that enables staff to conduct interviews with celebrities, designers and artists to be aired in-store and regularly posted on Concepts’ website, also designed by Soldier. Perhaps the biggest buzz, however, has come from Concepts’ posh membersonly, lower-level VIP lounge, open to about a hundred of its top customers (think pro athletes) who will find comfortable custom leather sofas, flat-screen TVs, and an eco-friendly fireplace. Accessible through a hidden entrance with valet parking, guests will find dedicated sales staff, a full bar, humidor and lockers to stow their purchases. “The end result has been amazing,” Tarek Hassan says, “resulting in a richer experience for customers and an increase in higher-margin merchandise sales.” As a result of the new design, Concepts opened an account with Visvim, making it one of a few retailers in the country to be awarded the rights to sell the prestigious Japanese brand, Hassan StORES says. Janet Groeber is a Cincinnati-based business writer. WWW.STORES.ORG Two-Way Radios Save Time & Money Retailers across America use Kenwood ProTalk® compact walkie-talkie radios for simple and effective communications. Put ProTalk® radios to work today for your entire team. • Efficient and simple communications for managers, front end customer service, back end inventory, individual departments, sales floor personnel and security. • Minimize communications expense – no expensive monthly bills. • Inventory checks are as easy as using the “push to talk” button. • Ready to use right out of the box and only 5.5 oz. for Retailers TWO YEAR WARRANTY CALL TODAY and ask about the Retail Special Offer 1-800-950-5005 www.kenwoodusa.com/protalkinfo 30 STORES / AUGUST 2008 http://www.kenwoodusa.com/protalkinfo http://www.kenwoodusa.com/protalkinfo http://WWW.STORES.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of STORES Magazine - August 2008

STORES Magazine - August 2008 Contents Executive Editor's Page President's Page The Lure of Free Shipping Walmart’s New Look What Shoppers Think Will Widgets Work for Wheat Bread and Wasabi? 10 Things You May Have Missed Numbers Worth Counting Full Price/Markdown Retail People Store Design Industry Economics Hot 100 Retailers Concept2Watch Mobile Technology Small Store Technology Website Optimization Site Selection Mobile Payments Recycling Merchandising: Cool Sells Merchandising: Merchandising in Mexico Store Construction & Development Human Resources Loyalty Programs Mobile Marketing Loeb Retail Letter Arts Update Point of View NRF News Retail Crossword Retail Industry Calendar Last Laugh

STORES Magazine - August 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.