New Brand Experience Stores
The first half of 2022 has been an exciting time for bricks and mortar retail. The forced closure of stores globally during the pandemic gave brands time to become strategic about their physical retail investment. New stores opening are now must-see destinations for shoppers, with the main focus on providing the ultimate brand experience.
Flannels Flagship, Liverpool
Mike Ashley’s Fraser Group have spearheaded the investment in the UK High Street, with new store openings key to their growth strategy. In June, the group opened their new Liverpool flagship for luxury department store, Flannels.
Described as the city’s most exclusive and experiential department store, it fuses retail and leisure under one roof. The luxury store focuses on blending designer brands, dining options and in-house experiences. Spanning 120,000 square feet, the store features four dining venues and the world’s first in-store ‘Barry’s Bootcamp’. The store opening hours include early starts and late nights to accommodate these additional services. The space have been carefully considered, with sleek concrete walls and captivating neon lighting. Digital interactions include a VIP click and collect area as well as a digitally focused tailoring service. The store has been described as the ‘UK’s destination for new luxury retail’.
Amazon Style, Los Angeles
Online giant Amazon have reimaged in-store shopping with the launch of its Amazon Style concept. The physical store enables customers to browse items using the Amazon app. Shoppers can send items to a fitting room, use the in-store touchscreens to browse further options, or request additional styles and sizes directly to the fitting rooms.
The store is built around customer personalisation and convenience. Using customer data from the app, customers are offered real-time recommendations as they walk through the store. This unique feature seamlessly blends the two experiences. All items tried on in-store are saved to the app, with the option to purchase later and have delivered directly to your door.
Levi’s® Haus of Struss, Mexico City
The fifth Haus of Strauss opened its doors in Mexico City last month. Designed to be the best expression of the Levi’s® brand, it is an exclusive haven for music, entertainment, and design. Prioritising using local artisans to decorate the space reflecting the local community.
As no two Haus stores are the same, the goal is to create an emotional experience that demonstrates denim leadership, style authority and the power of the Levi’s® brand. Product is the main focus of the Haus; the on-site team are experts in fit and fabric to ensure the right product is styled to the right person. A master tailor offers a level of personalisation while guests can have a drink, play a record or read a book.
Apple, Brompton Road London
Apple opened their latest London store yesterday, July 28th. Drawing inspiration from the local area’s native flora, visitors are welcomed by 12 towering trees with seating at the base of each. Bringing nature directly into the store has not previously been seen in Apple stores, which are usually sleek and reflective of their products. The sustainable store is powered 100 per cent by renewable energy.
With a focus on community events, the store’s Forum is a space dedicated to daily creative and practical sessions for Apple users. Visitors are invited to explore the area, discover the product line-up, interact with products and ask questions. Incorporating omnichannel sales, the store is the first in the UK to have a dedicated Apple pick-up area, making it more convenient to collect online orders.
GAP Laboratory, San Francisco
Gap Inc has created four new stores at its San Francisco Headquarters. The new GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta stores are designed to welcome customers into the brands’ heart to test products and technology innovations.
Focused on brand transparency, the departments have open workspaces incorporated in the store areas. Customers can interact with the design departments and see products come to life at different stages. The goal is to create a strong brand connection with customers.
Seeing the investment happening with brands and their in-store experiences is really exciting. The key theme of creating unique and memorable moments in-store is continually evolving with cutting-edge concepts.