design:retail - March 2018 - 56

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"I wanted art that makes you think and question,
something to talk about it," Landino says. "The dandelion, buffalo and other regional references make it
a conversation piece, and people definitely take pictures of it. Jeff is a well-respected muralist, and this
piece represents what Chicago is now. We didn't need
another skyline. This is about what is happening on
the street and in real life. It commands the first floor."
A mural by local artist Laura Burger sets the tone
and truly brands the Wine Box, another destination
within the store. Aesthetically, Landino wanted it to
be the "non-wine bar, wine bar." This is not a typical
Tuscan décor drenched in dark oak and deep reds;
it is an unpredictable space with a palette of black,
white, light wood tones and pink. "Yes, we put pink
in the store," Landino says. "Pink in the Wine Box
and other locations helps us transform the backdrop
of the grocery store. We wanted to expand consumer
expectations and not look like a typical grocer."
The fun, youthful color palette is continued
throughout the store and punctuated with neon
signs in very non-traditional ways. In the Cheese
Shoppe, salmon, gray, yellow and white tiles are cut
in triangles like confetti with a neon "For the love
of cheese" sign.
For the seafood area, the design team wanted
a "wow" department as the shoppers enter and

something with an industrial open market appeal,
O'Connor describes. "A huge pine ceiling angles
up to invite customers in," O'Connor adds. "Black
brick, oversized tile, galvanized warehouse lights
and metal marquee lettering (spelling 'Fishmonger')
give the feel we were looking for."
The Red Star Bar is a pub destination with a rotating tap of 32 local or hard-to-find beers and a
large whiskey menu, as well as breakfast, lunch
and dinner menu options. A faux timber ceiling
and large wood beams create drama within the
space while a focal point is the face of the bar and
surrounding floor made of hand-painted cement
tiles with white Chicago star accents. A small arcade adjacent to this area offers a piece of nostalgia
for adults hanging out, but has really turned into a
place for kids-entertainment for the whole family.
Whole Foods and Blend Design Co. wanted to
create more than a grocery store, they wanted to provide a neighborhood hangout. "We weren't simply
planning a grocery store, we were creating a cool
place to be," Landino adds. "But it just happens to
be a grocery store. Food is the unifying element, and
we have provided multiple destinations to enjoy it."
Whole Foods Lakeview is a place to dine, drink,
meet with friends and watch a game, but don't forget
your shopping list, because you can do that, too.

↖ Unique materials and color
combinations
add character to
the space.
↙ The faux timber
ceiling and wood
beams in the Red
Star Bar mark the
dining destination
within the store.

↑ [Top] Branded
in-store shops
encourage
exploration.
↑ Oversized
typography
calls out special
departments for
easy wayfinding.

PROJECT FILE
Whole Foods Market
Lakeview, Chicago
RETAILER

WALLCOVERINGS

Whole Foods Market

Fireclay Tile

PARENT COMPANY

FURNITURE

Amazon
Blend Design Co.

West Elm, Grand Rapids
Chairs, Icon Modern, Chandler
Inc., Hoffman booths

ARCHITECT

MILLWORK

CONTRACT DESIGN FIRM

BRR Architecture

Chandler Inc.
FABRIC

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Designtex

Novak Construction

CEILING SYSTEMS

CONSULTANTS/ENGINEERS

Maxxit

Henderson (HEI)

PAINT

STORE FIXTURES

Benjamin Moore

Lozier, Opto International Inc.,
Chandler Inc.

SOUND SYSTEMS

LIGHTING

MURAL ARTISTS

Targent Lighting
FLOORING

bolefloor (in wine bar only)
SIGNAGE/GRAPHICS

D|fab

Mood
Jeff Zimmerman, Laura Berger
Information in the project file
is provided by the retailer
and/or design firm.

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