Discovering Retail
Elsie Graham and Sue Jones aren’t experienced retailers. But they do have a knack.
I encountered the pair by chance when I was in Atlanta recently to attend the Jones Lang LaSalle Retail Forum on Open-Air (see story on page 79), as well as to enjoy a little time with my twin sister Liz and her family. Liz is a newly minted urbanite, having made the decision with her husband and two daughters to sell their sprawling home in the northern-most reaches of Atlanta in favor of a midtown high-rise condominium.
A change in home address will mean a change in schools for both girls come this fall. I accompanied Liz and 9-year-old Shelby on an interview at one potential school, and there I stumbled upon what can only be described as good retail, and two natural-born retailers.
The Book ‘N Bear Campus Shop at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School on Mount Vernon Highway in Atlanta is, in reality, a converted classroom. Encouragement from time-pressed teachers, who didn’t want to leave campus to buy gifts or supplies, resulted in that classroom debuting as a pretty typical bookstore and school supply outlet. But semester by semester it evolved. Through the management efforts of Graham and the buying expertise—gained through feel, not experience—of Jones, a boutique was born.
“We poured our hearts into this. I used to work at Sakowitz Department Store many years ago, but this project has been a new adventure,” Graham told me, as we stood shoulder to shoulder amidst displays artfully arranged with everything from Vera Bradley luggage pieces and gourmet cookware to jewelry and apparel. Added Jones, “I have no retail background at all. I listen to teachers and parents, and try to stock the store with items they want and need, as well as with merchandise that appeals to me.” The school owns the store, and Graham and Jones are its employees. Merchandise is exempt from sales tax, and all profits generated belong to the Holy Innocents’ general fund.
The Book ‘N Bear isn’t visible from the highway. It doesn’t occupy an endcap location, but rather is inline with interior classrooms and offices. The closest intersection is one that involves children running to and from class. But the site is a winner. Not only teachers traffic the campus store, but also visiting parents, school volunteers and students shop there. And out-of-towners lucky enough to bump into it.
Typical retail site-selection strategies don’t include private schools, of course. But effective sites are defined not only as accessible, visible, demographically compatible real estate, but also ones that put services and merchandise directly in the paths of the consumers who want or need them. I would grade Holy Innocents’ an “A” for responding to its teachers, parents and students with a store of their very own. And Book ‘N Bear gets extra credit for creating a sense of discovery and for reminding me that good retail can be found in some pretty unexpected places.