Shopping and Life CONNECT

Some things about retail will never change, like people’s basic nature. In the mass channel, our needs will be the same—food, clothing, household and pharmacy. But ten years out, the value shifts and lifestyle changes now underway will be fully manifest: individualism, agelessness, dynamism and diversity.

Stores will share these attributes so customers will know the brand cares, understands, and can keep up with them as they flow through life and its various stages, unconstrained by traditional age or gender stereotypes. Creative, multifaceted brand messages will speak to diverse localized audiences who don’t recognize the boundaries of the past. Retail brands will go beyond selling, beyond experience—to become part of your life.

Retail is continuously evolving, but the need to understand what motivates people is constant. Ratherthan changing what is inside the box, the challenge of the future will be to redefine what the box is. Store design—large or small—can’t be limited to what we’ve always known. Responding to shoppers’ rapidly changing needs will require new thinking and new analytic tools to discover the actionable human insights that will inspire the greatest profit.

Thoughts for the future: 

FRCH Design Worldwide envisions a retail "happening" that reinvigorates the urban landscape and provides brands a unique venue to showcase innovative new products and concepts.

This breakthrough concept is pure at its core and immerses consumers in a sensory experience that inspires and makes shopping an emotional event. It’s urban revival with sustainable purpose.

FRCH Design Worldwide is an international architecture and design firm serving the retail, entertainment, restaurant, corporate office and hospitality markets. The firm offers architecture, interior design, graphic design, and brand strategy for clients including Tropicana, Disney, Under Armour, American Girl, Tween Brands, Luxotica, and Tiffany & Co.

Retail: concept stores, lab stores, global brands, local flavor

Entertainment: events, fashion, concerts, new media installations

Hospitality: amenities, restaurants, hotels

Community: social zones, revitalization, sustainable mission

Increased technology will play a vital role in the services market. Enabling customers to place orders online or via mobile phones will further enhance the experience, freeing up their time to manage the delicate balance between work and home.

The concept was to create a minimal space that was easy-to-shop and navigate, yet still maintain a sense of comfort and warmth to alleviate the consumer’s hectic lifestyle. Warm woods, pendant lighting and accent seating pods with plug-in capabilities accentuate the calming, clutter-free backdrop.

C-COURSE 

JGA creates a concierge service center of the future catering to time-starved consumers

While those who are time-stressed dream of the concierge who might help them with their ongoing service needs; three attributes still drive consumers to where they choose to conduct business: convenience, solutions and price. They seek to bring together warehouse club pricing muscle with the reputation and quality of the Mayo Clinic, blended with the personal service of a Four Seasons Hotel.

C-Course endeavors to do the same, fully integrating its brick-and-mortar presence with an online effectiveness in areas such as financial services and travel. JGA created this one-stop-concierge shop covering the basics in categories of food, gasoline and a range of personal services including everything from dry cleaning, gift wrapping and banking to prepared meals, a health clinic and c-store merchandise.

Imagine all you would ask a personal concierge to handle, conveniently adjacent to your favorite store. JGA chairman, Ken Nisch explains, "Building off the real estate strategy that made warehouse clubs so successful, locations with high accessibility and notoriety leverage this outlet magnet that acts as a hub for destination purchases, while lending easy access convenience for on-the-run services."

Using convenient drive-thru options, many transactions allow the customer to remain in the comfort of their own car. Or visitors can stop in and use the Wi-Fi connection as they relax with the first or last latte of the day, of course served with the C-Course high-touch four-star service.