When the sliding doors of the flagship store open, it becomes clear immediately for whom it was created: a laser has burned the message “For the best fans in the world” into the mat on the floor. They deserve a store which can be included among the most interesting retail projects in Europe during 2020. The entire store can be accessed across all three floors via a central staircase. The eye-catching diamond shape in the stairwell–derived from the Bavarian coat of arms in the logo–links all the floors optically. The emotional heart is the oversized LED wall on the underside of the staircase. The store concept by the Store Makers at umdasch can be summarized as “Tradition meets Future”.
House of contrasts
The teams surrounding Project Manager Peter Romics of FC Bayern and Maik Drewitz, Shop Consult Director umdasch, thought up something very special for the FC Bayern World. They developed a House of Contrasts. “The façade, which was designed in sgraffito style derived from the original building, encounters printed concrete walls inside”, explains Drewitz. He continues, “In the central staircase, warm oak wood and raw black steel form a contrasting arc of suspense.” The materials selection intentionally focuses on regional suppliers. Illuminated glass walls from a Bavarian manufacturer make the cast flooring of Munich pebbles glow.
The ground floor is dedicated to the team of the championship record-holders: the players were scanned and life-size figures were created for the store using a 3-D printer. They present the latest jersey series in the center space, and umdasch developed individual, floating wall systems on the walls. The more than 20 integrated digital touchpoints in the store form a part of the integral store concept and include numerous innovations, including mirror screens in the changing cabins, several selfie points and transparent screens for trophy presentation and projection mapping in the checkout zone.
Player experience
The Performance Level in cooperation with adidas lies on the lower floor where fans will find the entire range of appropriate accessories. From jerseys to training equipment, visitors will then arrive at one of the highlights on this floor, the shoe wall. It is designed like a laboratory in which the new developments grow and flourish. Immediately adjacent, the fans can test themselves against the professionals in various gaming scenarios in the “Test Cage”. Jerseys, shoes and balls can be personalized according to the individual ideas of the fans in the “Workshop”. The presentation of the “Triple Cup 2020” takes place here in digital showcases behind transparent screens and emphasizes the playful experience of winning. Even the FC Bayern e-sports team has its own dedicated area in the Konami Lounge.
The fan level on the upper floor fulfils every wish of the fan community. In addition to mugs and scarves they will find exclusive merchandise on sale that is available only in the FC Bayern World in Munich. The youngest fans are delighted to see the little mascot Berni, while their fathers configure an Audi model on the large touch-screen and the LED wall and then complete a virtual sporting test drive on the shareholder’s Audi sales space. A robot will then make a sketch of the dream model as a souvenir to take home. When the sliding doors close again visitors will leave the FC Bayern World not only with all sorts of fan articles, newly embroidered jerseys, and a pre-configured new vehicle, but above all with one thing: the feeling of having experienced something unique and the burning desire to come back again in the future.
