Retail with Purpose
Monthly Retail Insights for Grant Brand Experience Fit Out
Retailers are creating spaces with meaning and a brand mission. Whether this mission is creativity, sustainability, or community, it is called ‘Retail with Purpose’. All around the world, the most inspiring new retail destinations combine a unique sense of place with a focus on immersive storytelling. This new mission-driven philosophy is all about offering richer, more unique and authentic experiences.
In this insight piece, Grant Fit Out look at inspiring retail spaces that offer immersive memorable experiences. Credit: Matthew Brown, Retail Trend Futurist & Keynote Speaker.
Barnhill Stores, Dublin
Barnhill Stores is one of the best convenience stores in the world. A curated ‘department store’ of artisan food brands with a focus on fresh food expertise and stylish design. The 5,000 sq ft store in the upmarket neighbourhood of Dalkey in Dublin won the Retail Excellence Ireland National Food Store of the Year 2023. Interior design and merchandising make sophisticated use of colour, lighting, quality finishes and playful elements such as the fret-cut tree.
Flannels X, London
Flannels X represents a new direction for the department store, becoming a dynamic and creative collaboration between art and retail designed to appeal to the Gen Z consumer. The £10 million Oxford Street Flannels flagship, which opened in 2019, was rebranded Flannels X in 2023 as an ‘ever-evolving cultural playground for pop-ups, gigs, exhibitions and exclusive brand experiences’. It has seen a spectacular expansion across the UK and Ireland since the Pandemic, filling the void of closed Debenhams stores with bold, experience-driven spaces, complete with gyms and champagne bars.
Wolf & Badger
Wolf & Badger started in 2010 as a small boutique in London’s Notting Hill showcasing emerging and sustainable brands to a local community of design lovers. It is now the B Corp-certified home to more than 2000 independent brands from around the world, creating a forward-thinking global community built upon the age-old pillars of skill and craftsmanship. Their platform provides an effortless way to find sustainably and ethically produced jewellery, homeware, accessories, fashion and beauty, without compromising on quality and design.
House of Vans, London
The House of Vans in London lives up to the company motto of being “off the wall”. A location where art, music, BMX, street culture and fashion converge, you can find almost everything you can imagine across the 30,000 square feet building. Amongst a cinema, café, live music venue and art gallery, the bottom floor holds the most unique feature of the building: the concrete ramp, mini ramp and street course. Nothing better epitomizes the Vans brand than a space where young people can not only shop but spontaneously socialize. The House of Vans is the perfect example of how experiential retail can be used to empower a shopping experience.
