First Look: Bath & Body Works rolling out updated store design
Bath & Body Works has launched an updated store format designed to deliver a seamless in-store customer shopping experience.
To date, the personal care and home fragrance retailer has opened more than 15 stores with the new design, dubbed Gingham+, including five in Texas. (See full list of locations at end of article.) The brand plans to roll out the design in a majority of its new store openings in the United States in 2025.
Informed by research and consumer insights, the format has an open floor plan and new layout designed to improve store navigation, with dedicated zones for key product categories, larger aisles and more shopping space. Select stores have scent bars where customers can test candles, Wallflowers home fragrance refills and fragrance mists. Videos help customers discover new products.
-
Image courtesy of Bath & Body Works.
With Gen Z continuing to show a desire for shopping in-person over online, Bath & Body Works said it incorporated the demographic's preferences into the new format.
“We’ve heard from this demographic that many of their purchase decisions are rooted in their ability to try a product first, and while we’ve previously offered this, our new design is more intentional with specific destinations in store to test and learn,” said Eduardo Tonietto, group VP of store design, who led the design development alongside Bath & Body Works’ store design team.
In addition, the design team brought in a softer color palette for the fixtures and finishings and incorporated a more neutral palette in line with Gen Z’s penchant for a more relaxing and toned-down store experience, added Tonietto.
“The customer is at the heart of all our decision making as a brand and drives everything we do as a business,” he said. “We’re constantly leveraging data and insights to create and refine a one-of-a-kind retail experience that truly sets us apart.”
The list of the U.S. stores that have the Gingham+ design is below.
- Northpark (Dayton, Ohio)
- Stonebriar (Dallas)
- Tyler Galleria (Los Angeles)
- Stonewood (Los Angeles)
- Friendly Center (Greensboro, N.C.)
- Palms Crossing (McCallen, Texas)
- Summit Woods Crossing (Kansas City, Mo.)
- Millcreek (Erie, Pa.)
- Taylor Square (Columbus, Ohio)
- Bloomingdale Court (Chicago)
- Wynnewood Village (Dallas)
- International Plaza (Tampa, Fla.)
- First Colony (Houston)
- Houston Galleria (Houston)
- Northpointe Center (Zanesville Ohio).
Bath & Body Works has more than 1,890 company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada, more than 525 international franchised locations, and an online storefront.
