Some consider the open office concept that gained popularity in the early 2000s, dead. “It’s too noisy”, or “There’s too much distraction and not enough privacy” became common complaints. However, we believe that creating a successful open office requires us to look deeper.

Research tells us that employees are returning to the office for purpose, not policy. Employers now recognize the workplaces as more – a space for productive collaboration, mentorship, and a tool to attract and retain top talent. All the while, employees desire a space that blends the comforts of home with the benefits of choice and control. They seek a workplace that embraces neurodiversity, stands for inclusivity, and prioritizes wellness, and looks to accommodate their unique preferences and needs.

Reimagining the “troublesome” open office floorplan through the implementation of zoned furniture vignettes, alongside the use of change management to introduce new ways of work, today’s workplace can be personalized, productive, and purposeful, meeting the needs of both the employer and employee.

Our designers recently conducted an experiment to determine what solutions might be possible using furniture only, no demo or dust required. The team created a workplace with three zones to meet specific user needs — Active, Shared and Focus — that are purposefully placed around the workplace to create comfort for the wide variety of users prevalent in the office today and their even broader number of work styles and preferences.

Active Zone users prefer to surround themselves with people and be part of the action. They enjoy the freedom to collaborate with others at any time. These zones might be located off elevator lobby, around interconnecting stairs, or in and around the work café to ensure that these active users are immersed in the hustle and bustle of the office.

These areas are activated with a buzzy energy and, like a hotel lobby, are inviting to those who are energized by being with and near others. People who want to be seen will often intentionally spend a portion of their day here, a signal that it’s ok to approach them for a conversation. And knowing that they will not be disturbing others, they’re free to talk on their phones or with colleagues. An out-of-town executive might also choose to sit here to make themselves available and visible for interaction with teammates when not in meetings.

With seating options for solo work or groups that boast varying heights, including standing options for more active meetings, Active Zones create pockets for collaboration and solo work. Plant dividers, bookcases, screens, and pergolas can be used to reinforce different seating vignettes and provide separation between conversations. Movable furniture allows for ease of configuration based on group sizes and encourages laptops, tablets, and other easy-to-move technology.

Change management keys here encourage active and social interaction.

Shared Zone, with moderate noise levels, allow users who prefer to see what’s going on around them while being just off the beaten bath. There is a medium pace to these areas and occasional conversation is not disruptive to those who chose to sit here. Located along common paths of travel, the Shared Zone serve as a buffer between the active and quiet zones.

These zones reinforce teaming and open collaboration, encouraging small groups to come together for conversations. Both open and enclosed spaces are offered to provide users with the choice of being heard or just seen. Users can conduct scheduled video calls and have impromptu one-on-one meetings, while being respectful of those around them. Employees whose sole reason to come to the office to collaborate with teams will thrive in this environment. These spaces encourage productivity, learning, and mentoring.

Furniture options are enhanced with robust technology; wall-mounted monitors or additional desk monitors provide high productivity. Lower or no panels on sit-to-stand benching allow easier eye contact and ease of engaging in conversations. Providing space where furniture tables and chairs are movable, white boards are available, and there is ample space to move for teaming sessions is a useful element to the Shared Zone.

Acoustical considerations are critical here, as they help muffle the sound between different groups collaborating. White noise, acoustical ceiling baffles and wall panels, and spaces with doors are key to keeping noise at a moderate level. Bookcases, acoustical screens, and specific design elements define zones, while helping soften noise.

Change management keys here are encouraging conference call and video conference calls be taken behind closed doors, while encouraging teams to reserve areas that are conducive to the activities they need to collaborate with white boards or digital technology.

The Focus Zone is ideal for users who prefer to be secluded with some privacy. The atmosphere is quiet and calm, where focus is key. Located well off the common corridors, or with buffers from corridors, these spaces are cozy, inviting, and most important – quiet.

Users come here for heads down focus work and understand that respecting the quiet atmosphere is of the utmost importance. Furniture is ergonomic, lighting is adjustable, and workstation panels are set higher as are the backs on lounge seating to ensure privacy. Phone booths can be useful in these areas so that unexpected calls can be taken without traveling too far. Should a Focus Zone user need to make a scheduled phone call or video conference, they would move to the Shared or Active Zone to do so.

Acoustical considerations beyond the furniture solutions also should be considered. White noise, high-quality ceiling acoustics, carpeted floors, and acoustical wall products all help enhance the experience, promoting quiet.

Change management keys to this area are enforcement of the “quiet car” expectations, respecting your colleagues who choose to work here and taking healthy conversations elsewhere.

Each of these solutions leveraging furniture to create spaces that meet the needs of varied workers are scalable, experimental, and should align with your company culture. Test a focus zone by selecting a far-away spot in your existing office and experiment with different furniture or separation ideas. The ideal solution reflects an inviting and comfortable space to empower all to be their best selves while at work, no matter the task at hand or their preferences or work style.

WEBINARS TO WATCH

Inspired Discussion

Workforce Webinar Series  |  Office Space 2021 |  Adjusting to the Connected Economy

Sensible Solutions for Real Emergency Situations |  (Re)dustrial Revolution

TOP TRENDS

Expert Insight

The New Connected Economy  | Asset AdvantEDGE   |   Reframed Rituals

Leveraging Environmental Graphic Design to Create Engaging Experiences

BEST OF OUR BLOG

Creative Fuel

The Future of Retail is Fluid  |  COVID-19 Can’t Cancel Workplace Collaboration

Evolving Workforce Expectations  |  Return to the Great Outdoors

Ready for what’s next?

See our upcoming webinars and events in 2021

Shopping is an experience. You can have all the sparkling jewels, intricate designs, and sophisticated styles in-store, but if people don’t want to come, they will stick to online shopping from the couch. Taking this into consideration, NELSON Worldwide designed London Jewelers’ newest jewelry boutique in Short Hills, New Jersey to be a retail destination, allowing visitors to peruse endless jewelry displays, try things on, and have fun with it – because the selection process should be just as exciting as the final purchase.

Read more with Retail Focus here.

Welcome to The Green Room, Baked by Subway®

Hot on the heels of developing the Subway® Fresh Forward global restaurant concept, FRCH NELSON was approached to conceptualize a traveling pop-up activation to hit the road for a series of Summer music festivals across the country. Building off the momentum of Subway’s new restaurant image and visual identity, we looked for opportunities to amplify and distill the brand’s expression for the music festival masses. We worked closely with the brand team on programming the pop-up experience and collaborated with IMG Live to maintain the design intent all the way through execution.

So how did we create an experience that is authentic to the brand and delivers something that’s memorable and of value to the festival audience?

Turn it Up

We envisioned a Subway branded oasis to pulsate with the energy of a music festival. Leveraging our green architectural fin from the new restaurant concept, we established a festival sized beacon to hold the visual identity and help attract festival goers to (and ultimately into) the activation. Once inside, the green fin becomes the basis for our live stage feed, illuminated focal, and DJ booth only to turn the corner and house a run of cold cases that display a bounty of freshly made sandwiches.

Feed the Need

Everyone loves free stuff… Especially with the added perk of some much needed air conditioning! Scheduled in between set-times, sandwich and swag giveaways satisfy festival goers with something that means something. Providing a nod to the personalization found in Subway restaurants, we planned for a saucing and topping station to give each guest a place to customize their sandwich. Specialty beverages are poured to provide festival goers with a reliable place to refresh and stay hydrated throughout the weekend. Just as everyone is fed, festival goers are surprised by the unmistakable scent of freshly baked cookies that build anticipation for a surprise cookie giveaway and unexpected sweet treat to beat the heat.

Stay Lit

At the heart of the lounge experience, we treated the floor plan as a flexible canvas to move and evolve with the schedule of each day. A fabric ceiling panel is suspended from above to provide an overhead grounding device and dynamic backdrop for illuminated projections that activate each evening. Below the ceiling, illuminated modular lounge seating comes to life at night to further signal that the party is always popping in The Green Room. The lounge seating is configured to move easily and make room for a pop-up stage that showcases acoustic acts via impromptu live performances throughout each weekend.

Hang Fresh

We embedded a “V.I.P.” seating perch at the front of the experience to provide guests a place within the Green Room to chill without missing a beat. This embedded vantage provides a vista to the outside happenings while providing a visual sense of destination to passersby to assure that everyone can see-and-be-seen. We outfitted our front yard with a flexible array of outdoor games and activities and specified large, group hammocks to give weary festival goers a necessary respite.

Share the Love

Amidst playful branded artwork panels, we identified an opportunity for guest engagement in the form of a step and repeat animated photo booth. The photo-op provides guests with an interactive opportunity to capture themselves in a dynamic fashion and share via social media for a kinetic, in-the-moment extension within The Green Room. Check the Instagram feed #SubYAY to see some of the results and see more of the activation in action.

After stops this Summer at Hangout Fest, Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo, we were finally able to catch up with the activation at Firefly Festival in Dover, DE. What a trip! It was beyond exhilarating to finally witness and participate in a party that we had a role in planning. Guests were overjoyed and literally lined up to get in and get a taste. Keep your eyes peeled for more polished photos to show up on our website or feel free to reach out if you’d like to talk about how your brand might show up at a music festival next season.

After experiencing the collective trauma of COVID-19, today’s workforce is now in the thick of what is being called “The Great Resignation”. Studies show that a huge part of making feel comfortable, safe and productive has to do with their environment. On top of that, most employees are feeling better supported in their physical space at home, than in the office. Given that, how can employers provide physical spaces to accept their teammates where they are and provide them with a place to thrive rather than just survive? 

With this in mind, how can employers and designers bring a more empathetic perspective to workplace design? Keep reading for key principles on creating a better work environment:

1. Know Your Customer

Your “customers” are your employees. We’ve always been taught that one of the key rules in business (after staying in business) is understanding your customer base. And the more engaged an employee is, the more productive they are. We also know the more productive employees are, the more financially stable the companies they work for tend to be. In what’s now being called “The Great Resignation” employees leaving their current place of employment are stating that it’s largely because they don’t feel heard or supported.

An office renovation/relocation is the perfect opportunity to reengage and reinvigorate your teammates. During the process, get as many people are involved early to hear experiences on what is and isn’t working. Along the way, keep employees updated with regularly scheduled updates. This will not only help them feel heard but will make managing the change easier on you as well.

Old Mission Capital | NELSON Worldwide

2. Honest Transparency

The most important thing is to start the conversation. This lets employees know that you’re trying and willing to have open and honest discussions around their needs. In turn, it will most certainly lead to your teammates being more willing to come to you when they need assistance and to a feeling of being supported and heard. You cannot be expected to know every individual’s needs, but if you open the line of communication, you will be more likely to have those who really need your help and support, reach out so you have the opportunity to accommodate them.

3. From Fixed To Fluid

Be willing to test out new ideas and if they aren’t working, be ready and willing to pivot. The most resilient organizations are those that are agile and willing to flex and change direction when needed. Your space needs to be just as flexible as your organization in order to adequately support it rather than hindering you in those key moments. Not only giving your employees choice in where and when to work, but allowing those within the physical space to choose where and how they work.

Also, consider utilizing the “kit of parts” we’ve all come to know and love in a new and different way. Instead of providing cookie-cutter spaces that are all the same, think of spaces more like the individuals that occupy them – unique settings that are individually adaptable to support the needs of your teammates. Build spaces on a module and consider demountable solutions that will more easily allow you to make physical changes down the road without significant cost or schedule impact.

Social Clubs Concept by NELSON Worldwide

4. Empowered Employees

Start early with your change management efforts. Get employees excited for the change, ease them into the process by allowing them to see the space either in-person or virtually before the move. Train them on how to use their new space (furniture, moveable walls, etc.) Allow them to bring friends and family in to show it off and increase their pride in the space. And, most importantly, get upper management to use the space in the way it was designed to be used.

This shows employees not only how to use it, but that it is okay to use it. This may seem silly to you, but people need to feel like they have permission to use the space without judgment and this is especially true if you’re coming from a space where previously everyone went to their assigned space and didn’t leave that space until they left at the end of the day.

5. Equity Of Experience

We have to understand that some people were able to work more effectively from home, where they had complete control of their environment. Therefore, if you are requiring your teammates to come back to the office in any capacity, some of that control will be taken away. How can we ease the minds of those coming back and allow those who will now be working in a hybrid environment and those with varying personal experiences and backgrounds to have equitable experiences?

Give people access to the tools to do their job effectively and then let them choose when, how, and where to use those tools to support themselves throughout the day.

Industrious | NELSON Worldwide

As the workforce returns to the office, the most successful organizations will intuitively adapt and respond to each unique worker’s needs. Whether they are in the physical office or working remote, keeping comfort, support, and equity at the top of mind is key to creating spaces for all. 

Back in 2017 one of my favorite blogs, Oh Happy Day, announced a new project called ‘Color Factory’. It was described as a ’12,000 square feet of color experiences’, a collaboration between their favorite artists, designers & chefs to celebrate color, design, and their hometown of San Francisco. All the bright colors and fun looked amazing, but it was also on the other side of the country. THEN, this summer, Color Factory brought their hugely successful exhibit to New York, so during BDNY week, we were able to get tickets and experience the fun firsthand!

To begin, we entered the ‘lobby’ greeted by a physical manifestation of their colorful, New York-centric website, a display of colors and poems inspired by the streets of New York, and most importantly, mochi ice cream. The space became a holding area where you can hand in your tickets and check your coats before you enter the exhibit.  It was explained that we would enter through a series of rooms that let you experience color differently, sometimes there would be an activity, sometimes a food pairing, sometimes selfie stations and sometimes all three. One of the most clever things they did was hand out cards with a QR code that we could scan at different stations which would take a picture of us and send it directly to our email, so we could be hands free!

The first room was full of colorful pins, and each person got to pick which color spoke to them (I picked ‘Jet’ which looked to me like an inky blue/purple, but was really just black). As we traveled through the exhibit, we did some activities that made us feel exposed (like staring at your coworker intently, while sketching them without looking at the paper or picking up your pencil), some were a little less exciting than others (like playing plunking on a two note xylophone), some were sponsored by big brands (like the dance party sponsored by Maybelline) and almost all of them had a food pairing (the best one was the blue ice cream from the blue ball pit room).

But, I think my favorite rooms focused on the origin of colors and the translation of an experience through color. There was a room about midway through that showed colors named A-Z; each color was mounted on a drawer slide – one side named the color and the other explained its origin. As a designer that digs through color every day; understanding the origin brought more meaning to the palettes we select. Another room translated a palette entitled ‘Thoughts on a Subway on 7/30/2018’, below were listed the ‘thoughts’ and their translating colors gradating from a sunny yellow to a deep midnight blue. The artist then made this observation and palette into a merry-go-round bringing the colors to life (and creating a platform for a cool Boomerang).

The price tag for a ticket is steep ($38/person), but you got a lot of bang for your buck with take-aways, activities & food pairings. If I had any critique, it would be that the rooms sometimes felt disconnected (most likely because of the wide variety of artists they included), sometimes it felt like the procession had meaning and connected to the room before, and sometimes the rooms seemed to stand alone. I almost expected the path to build up to a final New York – centric experience or reveal. The last room featured a GIANT blue ball pit, which was VERY cool, but didn’t seem to speak to the color story inspired by New York. That said, I really did love every minute of this exhibit, surrounded by color, inspiration and artistry, it was hard for me to find something I didn’t enjoy. We spoke with some of the guides along the way, and it sounds like they’re still discussing how long this exhibit will be in place (the one in San Francisco lasted about 8 month), but if you’re in New York and you love color (and who doesn’t?) – this is a must see.

From retail destinations, office amenities, new services, and sustainable design, we’re seeing a surge in the desire to reconnect with the great outdoors across every consumer-facing environment. In our latest series, Our Return to the Great Outdoors we’ll share how brands can embrace this trend to create both safe and memorable outdoor experiences that will resonate with consumers long after COVID-19 fades.

In times of uncertainty, consumer expectations don’t change completely—they simply evolve, pivot, and accelerate, raising the bar and amplifying the demand for new, relevant experiences. A growing trend as consumers gravitate toward more convenient services, road and curbside experiences of all shapes and sizes are becoming more and more essential, especially as COVID-19 pushes brands to offer outdoor and contact-less services. In part two of this series we explore the experiences and services that keep people outside and on the road, in addition we’ll identify what brands are doing to bring this to the forefront of their experiences:

Drive-Thru Only

With a growing number of consumers ordering takeout instead of dining in due to COVID-19, restaurant and food brands have had to adapt to more efficient service models that support new consumer behaviors. Even before the pandemic, we saw an uptick in these convenience focused concepts, but today they have grown even more essential.

• Restaurant table reservation app Resy is hosting a 10-course drive-thru dinner experience in Hollywood, CA. Catered by these high-end chefs, the model could help bringing luxury dining back to life. Guests will be served food in single-use containers and be given a lap tray to keep. Each car will have its own designated waiter who will guide them through the courses.
  

  Resy Drive-Thru Experience | RESY

• At KFC’s first drive-thru only concept located in Australia, the goal was to develop a unique operating model that celebrated this change in consumer behavior and gravitation toward technology. The drive-thru has multiple lanes that allow customers to order and pay for a meal through the brand’s smartphone app or website, including designated lanes for more traditional, on-the-spot orders. Traditionally, the restaurant is the hero experience, but in this case, it’s the drive-thru. 

KFC Drive-Thru | NELSON Worldwide

Creative Curbside Pickup

With the rapid growth of e-commerce and a global pandemic causing retail developments to limit capacity or temporarily close, transforming underutilized space into creative pickup and return concepts is a clever and valuable way to meet consumer demands now and in the future:

• Adjusting to safety demands and new consumer behaviors, NELSON Worldwide explored the idea of creative click-and-collect concepts that could serve retailers and mixed-use developments. Along the way, we identified three ways these concepts can be activated and brought to life.

Click-and-Collect | NELSON Worldwide

• Looking to capture more off-premises business during and post-pandemic, Shake Shack announced plans to incorporate and add interior and exterior pickup windows to its stores. The new concept dubbed Shake Track is the start of a trend we will see implemented in restaurants and food concepts around the world.

Shake Track Pickup Window | Shake Shack

In-Car Entertainment

Seeking new ways to connect with their communities and enhance their lives post-pandemic, consumers have turned to new, COVID-safe ways to entertain themselves. As a result, an old pastime has resurged giving consumers socially distant options to enjoy themselves. Around the world, many variations of the classic drive-in movie experience has been reimagined: 

• This Halloween, Hulu is engaging fans and customers with a socially distant drive-thru and scary movie experience. Hulu is taking over the L.A. Equestrian Center for some spooky screenings ahead of Halloween where guests can drive thru a haunted forest of jump scares and spooky scenery called Huluween.

Huluween Drive-In Experience | Hulu

• The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in Toronto recently announced the world’s first drive-in art experience. Cleverly called, Gogh By Car, this new-age art experience is an immersive show of art, light, sound, movement, and imagination. The space can accommodate 14 vehicles per time slot and participants must park and turn off their engines to enjoy the 35-minute show from inside their cars.

Gogh By Car | Immersive Vincent Van Gogh Exhibit

Kentucky Fried Chicken has been one of our clients for more than 10 years. We have worked on projects and brand initiatives large and small, but no single project has the scale and literal visibility as the “The Big Chicken” – which boasts an iconic 56-foot-tall chicken sculpture as its main architectural expression. Situated in the heart of Marietta, Georgia, this roadside beacon has been a landmark since construction started in 1956 and a flagship KFC destination since 1966. Still used as a guide to help direct pilots, The Big Chicken has captivated locals and passersby on their way to and from family vacations – forever etched in the hearts and minds of any and all that stop in for a bucket of chicken.

When the opportunity was presented to develop a renovated KFC prototype around the existing marvel, the project quickly became a dream come true for our design team. The icon already did a portion of the heavy lifting, but we needed to dial up the rest of the guest (and employee) experience to be worthy of The Big Chicken. Starting with the foundation of what we helped establish with the American Showman prototype, the site offered us an ideal scenario to riff off the momentum of the brands current advertising campaign and dial up their irreverent, tongue-in-cheek feistiness for their built experience.

We conceptualized ideas on how Colonel Sanders himself would have approached this opportunity. We started by unifying the site with big, bold architectural and graphic expressions that utilize real wood and hand painted finishes. The team looked for ways to guide and direct guests on a purposeful journey with embedded moments of honest-to-goodness hospitality. We considered opportunities to honor the iconic Big Chicken throughout the dining experience in space planning, brand communication and even a small retail display. Photo-ops help set the stage for social media shares and extend the flagship KFC experience beyond the walls of the restaurant. And lastly, since this particular site is core to the identity of the local neighborhood, we embedded touchpoints that honor and celebrate Marietta, GA and provide locals with a home away from home.

The Colonel himself would have had it no other way!

Here are a handful of photos that capture the Grand Opening celebration and ribbon cutting as well as some of our first snaps of the restaurant.

Like many, I sense the looming anxiousness about returning to work in a few weeks as shelter-in-place policies are lifted. Although many are looking forward to reuniting with colleagues and returning to the office desk away from distractions at home, I have concerns.

These concerns mirror those of our employers, building owners, and landlords, as we all see clearly how a safe reunion is a shared responsibility. Will the office building I am returning to have procedures in place to keep me safe? Am I putting my family at risk by returning to work? How can I trust that everyone is doing their part today to make our workplace a healthy environment?

To combat these worries, I am putting trust in my employer, co-workers, and those that operate my building. So are most people around the world, according to this year’s Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report. The survey found that 63 percent of people around the world believe information regarding COVID-19 from employers, compared with 58 percent for a government website and 51 percent for traditional media. Let this sink in. The majority polled are putting their trust in their employers. So, how can companies make it easier for their workforce to trust them?

Here are just a few ways:

TRUST IN THE EMPLOYER

Employers will be the trusted guide employees look to before and after returning to work. Going beyond staggering the return of employees or off-setting work hours, companies will need to actively work toward a resilient environment for years to come.

Workers will also trust their employers are following vetted and globally adopted standards. Hosting reoccurring meetings, sending weekly communications, and posting signage throughout the office can help publicly display that these standards are being followed.

Perceived safety will promote trust in the built environment as much as tangible improvements. For example, biophilic design that incorporates indoor greenery can help support wellness beyond mental health. Not only is this a tangible way to improve air quality and alleviate asthma, but it is a visual cue to employees that changes are taking place to improve their health and wellbeing.

TRUST IN THE CO-WORKER

It will be challenging to rely on others when returning to the office. There are small practices that can be put in place to help colleagues garner trust in each other and limit fears of the unknown. A few minor physical adjustments to the fixtures and furnishings can add some much-desired security.

Many corporate workplaces decorate their offices and amenity spaces with potted plants. These may be an aesthetically pleasing tool that can also serve as added barriers throughout the office, both in pathways and in alternating workstations. Moss can contribute to improved indoor air quality, removing particulates from the air throughout the day, offering acoustic buffers, and feeding the visual desire to maintain social distancing while inside the building.

Mobile partitions made available to occupants, within reasonable safety, can also provide some quick remedy to promoting space without isolating. Signage within the employer’s workplace can offer continuous reminders for best practices related to hygiene. Personal protective equipment, specifically face masks, may become a standard office supply, much like toilet paper and hand towels. These simple but effective measures can help initiate trust among co-workers while organizations work to budget toward larger-scale strategies.

TRUST IN THE BUILDING OWNER

Landlords and owners charged with operating office buildings have a huge responsibility to keep their tenants safe. For office buildings in bigger cities with higher foot traffic, they may need to close off certain entrances or regulate entry points by implementing and communicating a new wayfinding strategy that adjusts the traditional guest journey in the space. Landlords will need to pay attention to lobbies and communal areas by reducing capacity and implementing robust cleaning strategies.

Propping doors open that aren’t automatic and adding more hand sanitizing stations in common areas are other ways landlords and building operators can help employees feel more comfortable. Seeing precautions in place will allow employees to put more trust in the buildings they are entering each day.

Employers and landlords have the power to be a comforting and reliable source during this time of uncertainty. Implementing mitigation strategies fosters trust and dignity when returning to the workplace.

Did you miss this year’s International Retail Design Conference? You’re in luck … our team of FRCH-attendees are here to share highlights, takeaways, and recommendations from this year’s conference.

Presented annually by VMSD, the conference includes three days of design dialogue centered around best practices, evolving trends, and fresh strategies for engaging shoppers and maximizing resources. More than just presentations, the conference allows attendees to get up-close and personal with a new city each year that is leading the way in retail innovation – this year’s pick? Seattle.

Our team not only presented at the conference (click to view and download our presentation “Tapping Into the Senses to Strike an Emotional Chord”) but also heard a lot of food for thought including these
5 key takeaways for retailers:

1. Don’t Forget the Fantasy. In this age of Amazon, it’s easy to forget the whimsy – but at the end of the day it’s shopping – it’s entertainment. Bring back the romance that retail once had, whether it’s in a store window or a fitting room, create adrenaline and emotion through design.
2. Flexible Programming. Consumption of experience has outpaced consumption of goods by a factor of 3. With that in mind, successful environments are those that create communities among their guests. Create adaptable, functional design that will get your guests to say hello sooner.
3. Connectivity Is King. The smartest person in the room is the one closest to the customer. Leverage your boots on the ground, instead of making all decisions in a corporate silo, to create true brand ambassadors. And don’t assume what customers know, want, or experience – instead ask them.
4. Digital Literacy. No longer about online vs offline, today it’s simply about shopping. Retail brands need to focus on creating brand affinity versus brand engagement in order to create stronger brand advocates. Utilizing the 4 C’s: Connections, Content, Conversion, and Community to build loyal followers.
5. Welcome to the Algorithmic Age. Soon everything will be curated for you (if it’s not already). A key consideration will be how retail brands can better anticipate their consumer’s intentions without them having to tell us.

Retail Tour

Few cities have been a testing ground for as many retailers that have expanded nationally or internationally than Seattle. Home to Nordstrom, Starbucks, REI, and Amazon to name a few. It made a perfect backdrop for this year’s IRDC and we made sure to get in our steps while taking in some highlights.

Check out our “must-see” Seattle tour, a curated list of some our favorite experiences in retail, restaurant, hospitality and more. From new brand concepts like Amazon Go, to independent boutiques like Glasswing, a clothing and home-goods shop that contains a shared design office and common gallery space available for rent (and has a great Seattle-focused blog). **Bonus Stop: if you find yourself farther south in Columbia City, also make sure to check out Eileen Fisher Renew (recently highlighted on Creative Fuel).

Below are a few of our favorite hot spots along the way … take a look and enjoy!

Amazon Go

Now with 3 Seattle locations (and 2 in Chicago with another one on the way), the online giant is showing it can be effective in brick-and-mortar as well. Our team visited the store on 7th avenue, and other than having to download the app prior to entering the store, we were impressed by how seamless the experience was. The 1,800-square foot market carried a curated list of items that ranged from grocery staples to more gourmet offerings that you might find at a Trader Joe’s. One offering we found particularly convenient was their Amazon Meal Kits – 4 pre-selected meals for two people that could be ready in 30 minutes. With the rise of subscription based meal-kits, its a timely solution that allows consumers the same ease, without the subscription commitment.

Totokaelo

Described as the “purveyor of beautifully designed and thoughtfully curated fashion and objects” Totokaelo, located in Seattle’s hip Capitol Hill neighborhood, is 7,000 sf of curated, high-end collections. The bi-level store features a gleaming white interior complete with skylight and plenty of natural light, making for a bright and inviting entrance.

The overall space is simple in form but but big on impact, allowing the fashion to become the art object in this gallery-like environment. The stark white interior is balanced by wood and other natural materials – leather, macrame and woven rugs are used to warm the space but not take away from the product. Understated details like curved display walls, artistic pendant lights, and exposed beams elevate the store in a very sophisticated manner.

This luxury offering is a nice contrast to the more casual, grunge vibe of the surrounding neighborhood. While the store offers luxury labels like Dries Van Noten and Comme des Garçons, the collection is also very in-tune with the Seattle style and environment, offering lots of functional, utilitarian styles for both men and women.

Princi

This summer Starbucks opened it’s first standalone Princi bakery at 2118 Westlake Avenue. The high-end Italian bakery concept features fresh pastries, bread, and focaccia pizza, among other treats – in addition to Starbucks coffee and a bar area severing cocktails, beer, and wine. Starbucks recruited Milanese baker Rocco Princi’s namesake company in 2016 for its high-end Starbucks Reserve Roasteries (see below) and the brand is now making a push to open Princi bakeries across the country. Our team sampled the goods and were not disappointed. The environment was warm and inviting, including an outdoor fire pit and a clear view into the kitchen to see the bakers at work.

Sitka and Spruce

Our team enjoyed a great dinner with great friends at Sitka and Spruce during the conference. Located in Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market, the quirky charm of this restaurant is undeniable. The space is framed by old, oversized auto shop windows with a brick, wood-burning oven in plain sight anchoring the open kitchen. Lucky enough to reserve the coveted communal table, nothing sat between us and the butcher block table of the kitchen. The rustic environment and farmhouse dining room created an intimate space to enjoy shareable bites of authentic Pacific Northwest cuisine.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

No trip to Seattle is complete without stopping at the Starbucks Reserve. This dramatic expression of the coffee giant was launched in 2014 and celebrates the true craft experience, from unroasted beans to the coffee steaming in your cup. Located just nine blocks from the original Starbucks Pike Place store, the experience is not only for coffee-drinkers, but instead boasts a full bakery, deli, and bar – in addition to accessories and Starbucks products.

Tuft & Needle

Mattress e-tailer turned brick-and-mortar brand, Tuft & Needle recently opened one of their four physical stores in downtown Seattle. The Amazon darling already gets 25% of sales through the online giant, but knew in order to disrupt the mattress industry, they would need to expand their footprint. The founders created a “Hate List” (the original posted in-stores) of things that wanted to change about the traditional mattress-buying experience and it has been a driving motivator in their guiding mission to “change the mattress industry by taking care of people.”