RetailSource: Retail Design, Construction and Visual Merchandising » Retail Construction

RetailMob.com Launches B2B Daily Deals for Independent Retailers. Get 50% or More Off Displays, Signs, Store Supplies, Advertising and More.

njohnson — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:34:57 +0000

RetailMob.com has launched a new B2B Daily Deals site for Independent Retailers. Store owners get 50% or more off on displays, signs, store supplies, fixtures, lighting, advertising, merchandise, professional services, employee training, business software and more. The site is dedicated to helping independent retailers be successful.

In this tough economy independent store owners need every break they can get. Many retailers are giving great discounts to their customers via sites like Goupon and Living Social. RetailMob.com is the only Business to Business Daily Deal site focused exclusively on serving the business, store operations, and visual merchandising needs of independent retailers. At RetailMob.com retailers get the deals!

RetailMob.com offers a free sign-up to retail store owners. Just go to RetailMob.com for an easy email sign-up. Get an email when great new B2B deals are available. Check it out!

Site Surveys, Fixture Installations, Graphic Change Outs, and Rebranding Help Retailers Survive the Downturn

njohnson — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:16:16 +0000

While the retail industry as a whole has suffered over the past few years, some service companies have found a way to thrive by helping retailers maintain, update, and reinvent their brands more efficiently. Dynamic Resources is one of the best examples of companies helping retailers streamline the process of store construction, fixture installation, renovation, maintenance, graphic installation and site surveys throughout Europe and North America. One of the ironies of retailing is that this type of activity often increases during a downturn because retailers have to find the perfect presentation, as well as the perfect product and price point, needed to attract and retain a more discerning, money conscious customer.

Competing with national competitors such as Davaco, Nationwide, and The Beam Team, Dynamic has continued to grow during the tight economic conditions since 2008. With offices in both the US and the UK, Dynamic rolls out programs across the US and Europe. They are planning expansion into South America and the Far East as they see an increasing number of their retailer partners moving in this direction.

Gerry Walsh, Dynamic Managing Director in the UK points to several specific reasons they have been successful. Not suprisingly, service leads the list. Dynamic starts with an attitude that customer service, defined as constantly providing solutions, not problems, to their clients, is the foundation for all their activity. Another strong point is their extensive and long standing relationships with local installation and maintenance companies. Project managers marshal these resources for each project and they have a systematic approach that insures timely completion with the highest quality standards. Project information is available to retailers and the team online via their propietary iReact project management system.

More detail and an impressive series of photos from recent projects is available here.

Global Facility Management & Construction Welcomes New Director of Sales & Marketing

njohnson — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:58:26 +0000

Global Facility Management & Construction is pleased to announce the recent
appointment of Robin Baskin Ladner to the position of Director of Sales &
Marketing. Global specializes in diverse maintenance services for national and
international retail chains.

Robin has over 28 years of extensive sales and marketing experience and has
focused her efforts in the facilities management industry for more than 10 years. In her new
position, Robin will be responsible for establishing and maintaining contacts and relationships to
promote and sell Global’s services to potential clients worldwide. “One of the many reasons I am
joining Global is because they have an excellent reputation in the industry,” Robin said. “They are
well known for outstanding customer service and maintaining longstanding relationships with
their clients.”

“I believe Robin will thrive in this new position and I anticipate she will exhibit her industry
knowledge and expertise while sharing her enthusiasm for the facilities management industry,”
said Sean Blank, President at Global.

Robin has been a member of Professional Retail Store Maintenance since 2001 and is currently
in her second year as Co-Chair for the Dallas/Fort Worth Networking Committee. She has a
proven track record of being a fervent leader and team player. Her dedication to client advocacy is
unsurpassed in the industry.

About Global Facility Management & Construction
Global is the leader in the facilities management industry performing superior remodel, rollout,
repair, cleaning and construction services throughout the United States and Canada. Operating
with its own proprietary software, Global offers their clients free access in real time to view all
work orders, reports, budgets and other relevant information. In addition to Global’s relationships
with more than 8,000 technicians around the US and Canada, Global also self-performs services
throughout major cities in the US allowing them to offer the lowest possible prices and the highest
level of communication with the most reliable technician performance in the industry.

For more information about Global, contact Robin Baskin Ladner at 866-213-2337 or
Robin@gfm247.com.

2010 Pinnacol Assurance Circle of Safety Award Won By Scheiner Commercial Group

njohnson — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:09:20 +0000

Retail Construction Contractor Wins 2010 Pinnacol Assurance Circle of Safety Award.

Scheiner Commercial Group, Inc. Honored for Exemplary Risk Management.

(DENVER, CO), Scheiner Commercial Group, Inc is a proud recipient of the prestigious 2010 Pinnacol Assurance Circle of Safety Award. By always meeting and exceeding stringent safety requirements on all commercial and retail construction projects, Scheiner Commercial Group is pleased to be recognized among the “circle” of people that excel in risk management.

Pinnacol Assurance, Colorado’s leading workers’ compensation insurer, recognized fifty nationwide policyholders for their commitment to safety in the company’s third annual Circle of Safety Awards. The Circle of Safety Award recognizes exceptional performance in four areas of risk management- safety, claims management, loss control, and financial management.

Only Pinnacol policyholders that met the following criteria were eligible to receive the Circle of Safety Award:

· .85 or less Experience Modification Rating each policy period
· Combined four-year loss ratio of 25 percent or less
· 80 percent or more of all claims reported within 48 hours (combined four-year history)
· Designated providers each year
· Two or less notices of cancellation each year
· No non-compliant audits
· Must currently hold the State of Colorado’s Cost Containment Certification
· No fatalities
· Approved return-to-work program

As a first year recipient of the esteemed Circle of Safety Award, Scheiner Commercial Group is delighted to be recognized for their exemplary safety record. Kelly Scheiner, CEO of Scheiner Commercial Group goes on to say, “Safety is our number one priority on every job and something we take very seriously. We take every measure to ensure the safety of all individuals, both workers and patrons. This recognition from Pinnacol Assurance is a terrific achievement and a testament to true safety success. Scheiner Commercial Group is committed to making Colorado a safer workplace.”

About Scheiner Commercial Group

Scheiner Commercial Group (www.scheinercg.com) is a woman-owned, national, commercial general contractor specializing in retail construction, office construction, restaurant construction, and commercial storefronts. Bringing over 50 years of collective experience and expertise in general contracting, development, and ownership, Scheiner Commercial Group makes your commercial construction and retail construction project experience as seamless as possible. As LEED certified contractors, Scheiner Commercial Group can help your business go green. Let our experience make yours better!

For more information, please contact Kelley Scheiner at 719-487-1600 or visit www.scheinercg.com.

Green Retail Glossary Launched to Help Define Green Retail Sustainability Issues

Green Retail Decisions — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:19:00 +0000

GreenRetailDecisions.com is launching a new information resource for retailers who are focused on developing eco-friendly stores, green products, environmentally sensitive marketing plans,and sustainable retail operations. The new green retail glossary was added to provide clear definitions of terms that are widely used in the retail industry, especially among decision-makers working on sustainable packaging, green store design, and eco-friendly building.

As the movement to green the retail industry has taken hold, a whole new language has developed around green retailing practices such as environmentally friendly construction materials, eco-friendly product development, energy efficient retail transportation systems, and many other green retail issues. Green Retail Decisions provides a glossary of these terms along with a host of other resources, news, and industry insight that retailers can use to stay current on the best retail sustainability practices.

Get the Best Jewelry Display with Super White Light LED Tube Fixtures.

Eastern Lighting — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 06:53:21 +0000

Taking advantage of the super white light produced by high quality LED light fixtures is one of the biggest design trends in jewelry display case lighting. LED showcase lighting is fairly new technology to many retailers and designers, so it is important to understand that not all LED light tube fixtures are created equal. One of the most important features determining the quality of the light produced by the LED fixture and also the longevity of the LED light source is the manufacturing technique used to attach and power the LED array.

Eastern Lighting uses a unique system in their FLX product line to address this issue.

The FLX Series LED showcase fixture is designed with longevity in mind. Other
manufacturers of linear LED fixtures plant the LEDs on elongated printed circuit boards
that are cut into short segments. This is done to lower costs in the manufacturing
process and to make it easy to cut into smaller segments. This design, however, is not
optimal as it does not draw heat from the LED, usually resulting in color shifting and
a shorter life for the LEDs. The FLX Series solves this issue by running a metal rod
through the middle of the array, connected to the LEDs. This arrangement allows heat to be
drawn from each LED and transfers it to the FLX tube and into the atmosphere. This
translates to a longer lasting, more reliable LED showcase fixture.

The advantage of LED lighting over other systems is the super white light and low operational costs of LED systems. Designers need to select fixtures that ensure the brightest LED luminosity available for the showroom application. Other important considerations when selecting LED showcase lighting systems include the quality of the system chip that the LED lighting uses, and mounting options which provide display flexibility within the case.

You can find a gallery of retail LED lighting design options at Eastern Lighting.

Retail Leasing Trends 2011 Quick Serve Fast Casual

njohnson — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 02:16:20 +0000

We are taking a series of quick looks at retail leasing trends for 2011 starting with some expansion minded companies in the Quick Serve / Fast Casual restaurant segment. These fast growing retail real estate prospects are suggested courtesy of our friends at CreditTenants.com

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Every franchisee territory in the United States has been spoken for… not bad for a company that didn’t start expanding until 2002. So while Wendy’s has been stalling since its buyout by Arby’s in early 2008, Burger King has seen same-store sales decline, and McDonald’s facilities and menu looking outdated. There is a new fast-food “guy” in town. (See Making over McDonald’s for some great new designs that franchisers just aren’t buying.)

As of August 2010, there are only 610 Five Guys restaurants in 40 states and Canada (compared to McDonald’s 13,300). Combine that with explosive sales at 50% year-to-year making it the #1 fastest growing restaurant with sales over $200 Million. There’s no question that you should see more of these “guys” in 2011.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Why look for Chipotle in 2011? Well, you won’t have too, they will most certainly find you. A 3-year growth over 62%, gross sales over $1.5B with only 1,000 locations, and, a business model based on corporately owned stores for quality, is a recipe any landlord likes to see.

Don’t worry about their quality fading. The founder Steve Ells, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, philosophy on Chipotle is simple, he says “It’s important to keep the menu focused, because if you just do a few things, you can ensure that you do them better than anybody else.” Let’s see, a Big Mac, Fries and a Coke $6.99, or, a seasoned rice, chicken, beans (pinto or black), sautéed green peppers and onions, and a little cheese, and you’re at $6.99. And while you’re squirting ketchup messing up your hands, I’m having it “my way” with a one of three flavored bottles of Tabasco sauce. ( Some notes on Chipolte’s green building approach and more photos here. )

Buffalo Wild Wings

Let’s just nickname this place, “the ultimate man’s sportsbar.” It’s got 3 great things about it, 1. Choose from 14 “signature” sauces 2. 360 TV’s 3. Hooter-like waitresses. They’re just testing the waters with 642 restaurants in 42 states with 206 of them opening in the last 3 years. Grand Opening sales are off the charts and Wall Street is predicting just 25% percent increase in sales over the next 5 years? Really?

My Microsoft Retail Store Is Better Than Your Apple Retail Store

njohnson — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:11:30 +0000

In early 2009 Microsoft announced it would be opening retail stores in a similar vein to the wildly popular Apple stores. In fact they planned to open them right next door to Apple’s retail outlets. The public response had all the trapping of the Republican / Democrat debate over health care legislation! This grand plan has been scaled down a bit to two “trial” stores, one in California and one in Arizona, and the hubub over Microsofts entry into the brick and mortar world has died down considerably.

Putting all the partisan squabbles aside, it might be interesting to take a look at what creative ideas these “retailers”, their consumer consultants, and their retail designers have brought to the table in terms of innovative retail design and visual merchandising.

Software is by nature interactive and one of the key features of the Microsoft stores is customer interactions with the software product and options reflected onto a continuous band of wall display screens. A visual merchant at Nordstroms once complained to me that they had lots of video screens but nothing to put on them. Microsoft’s stores solve this production problem by featuring the customer’s interaction with the product. While some customers found that being completely surrounded by digital activity made them a bit dizzy, others reported a sense of openess and expansive space as everything from landscape vistas to video games came into view.

Apple has the Genius Bar and Microsoft the Answers Bar. Whatever you call it, it’s almost a no-brainer that by moving the place where you go to get help with products away from the cashwrap and the exit, you will increase customer retention and sales. Going to the “bar” is a much better customer service solution than asking customers to chase a sales associate around the store. It funny to think that the Genius Bar was seen as such an innovation when Apple made it a feature of every store. When a customer has to head for the cashwrap and the store front exit just beyond, they are much less likely to dive back into the merchandise than to continue out the door without making a purchase.

The Microsoft Store also features “Surface” tables. Interactive table tops, surrounded by comfortable seating, where you can relax, learn and play. So many stores seem to always be selling so hard that they rarely create a place for relaxation, interaction and play. The Apple and MS stores may not be taking this “third room” concept as far as say Starbucks but maybe they should. Some customers have taken things into their own hands declaring the Apple’s Genius Bar the Best Place to Date. Still other Apple Store lovers make YouTube videos on the state-of -the art gear or use the store as a kind of mobile office space. Microsoft stores haven’t engender this type of creative use and loyalty yet.

Every retailer’s dream is to make their store that “got to see it, I can’t live without it” kind of place. Take a closer look at these two rivals and grab some interactive retail ideas that work.

Retail Construction Lags Retail Employment

njohnson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:24:21 +0000

Retail construction continues to stagnate and slow even as overall natioinal employment, and retail jobs in particular, begin to improve. Crains Chicago Business reports a 25 year low in retail construction activity. The report focuses on retail mall development, highlighting the recent transfer to receivership of the Block 37 mall project, however it is unclear if smaller non-mall development and single site storefront retail activity is factored into the report. Downtown, urban retail may not be suffering to the same extent as suburban mall developments.

Even as retail construction continues to falter, retail employment has finally begun to improve. The U.S. Department of Labor reports job losses are slowing down. While the U.S. economy lost 22,000 jobs overall to start 2010, the retail industry added 42,100 jobs in January. Apparel, grocery and electronics lead the way with hardware and building supplies trailing.

Retail Architectural firms continue to struggle with a contraction of billing for retail design services which began in 2008. A recent AIA survey based on information gleaned from their membership, Moody’s, McGraw Hill, and others, suggests a 2010 decline in retail construction of over 17%. This compares to an overall 13% decline for all non-residential construction. Improvement of 1.8 percent is predicted for 2011 but details for the retail industry were not broken out. Once again it is difficult to determine if these statistics include small retail infill and tenent improvements or only development projects.

Some indicators point to overall economic improvement in 2010 but both residential and non-residential construction typically lag emplyment and general economic recovery. Is February too soon to start looking forward to next year?

Retail Space and Retailing in Seattle

njohnson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:01:25 +0000

The always engaging and informative KUOW Weekday program, hosted by Steve Scher explores the current state of Seattle’s commercial real estate environment with a focus on storefront retail.

Our neighborhoods are full of empty storefronts and office buildings. Stalled development projects have left holes in the ground. How is commercial real estate fairing? Will developers be able secure loans for pending projects? How can they attract tenants for existing buildings? How are empty spaces changing where we live? What small businesses would improve your neighborhood?

Of particular interest is the input from Brian Surratt, development director of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development. He discusses several programs the city is actively implementing to provide loans, funding and support services to small and micro business including retailers. If you are a retailer in Seattle you should catch this program. Listen to the podcast or stream it here.