Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sweetwater is the largest online retailer of musical instruments and pro audio equipment in the US. The company tasked NELSON Worldwide with creating a new retail experience on the brand’s HQ campus. The goal of the 26,800-square-foot project was to leverage the brand’s distinctive assets to ultimately drive traffic, generate more transactions, and create loyalty with existing and new customers.
Creating a showroom experience for customers, the design team equipped the store with 14 specialized spaces allowing consumers to shop within sections featuring the instruments that best suit their needs. Guests are encouraged to trial products with designated areas that include a recording studio, six demo rooms, a live sound room, Dave’s Music Den, and Mynett’s Music Area.
The overall design aesthetic celebrates key brand elements and creates a warm and welcoming destination. Wood flooring and a neutral palette provide an inviting foundation to let the product play hero. The one exception is the live music room, purposely designed using a darker color scheme to resemble a live venue space. While each room features similar colors, unique light fixtures often mimic the product, creating a subtle wayfinding element throughout.
