GLOBUS SWITZERLAND
Shopping with all of your senses: Globus department stores in Switzerland use music to emotionalize the retail space. In order to do so, the company is working with an AI company to divide up its retail spaces, allowing the appropriate music to be played in each theme-based corner. The music varies according to style, volume, time of day and season, visitor numbers, etc. For example, the music is more calming in the morning, more stimulating in the afternoon, and more relaxing in the evening to keep customers on the shop floor.
credit: GLOBUS
TORQUATO AG (EXAMPLE FRANKFURT) – CURATING PRODUCTS
Torquato was founded in 2000 in Geesthacht near Hamburg and employs approximately 80 people today. The premium mail order company sells a range of 5,000 products, which are lovingly selected by brothers Axel, Max, and Moritz Stürken, the owners of the company. When they travel, they look for exceptional artisan businesses, unique product that are usually rooted in tradition and history, and small specialties that trigger emotions and stay with you for many years.
credit: Torquato AG
As a result, they have amassed a portfolio of around 600 international suppliers, many of whom are only represented by a single product. Logistically, the process is very time-consuming, but the company is happy to accept that fact as it allows it to offer holistic experiences with items from all over the world. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that a monthly print catalog is also available.
Torquato currently operates six locations; the store in Frankfurt was only recently opened and is characterized by its large, open floor plan, which depicts the individual living spaces. Due to its corner location, there are a number of large shop windows that often successfully attract passers-by. Customers can find unique products on two floors. Each room features a carefully selected color that carries through to the door frames, the ceiling, and even the furniture, so the focus is immediately drawn to the curated product selection.
L&T OSNABRÜCK – INDOOR SURFING / HASEWELLE
The standing wave is a visitor highlight at the innovative specialist sports store Lengermann & Trieschmann (L&T) in Osnabrück, Germany. The company offers rapid surfing, also known as surfing on a standing wave, on the so-called Hasewelle. Customers can book a 45-minute surfing slot and learn how to surf or improve their surfing skills in different wave settings – away from the sea and natural waves. Surfing instructors are on hand to provide tips and assistance.
credit: L&T Osnabrück
Children’s birthday parties and team events can also be hosted there. When building the new store in 2018, L&T deliberately chose to use the surf wave to play to its local strengths and establish itself as a brick-and-mortar location with real added value.
RESTORATION HARDWARE – THE GALLERY AT THE HISTORIC AYNHO PARK
Aynho Park, an extraordinary property in England, located on the border between Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, became the first brick-and-mortar branch of US furniture brand Restauration Hardware (RH) outside the USA last year. The aim was not to simply open a store, but to develop a project that combined architectural history and hospitality. RH acquired the 400-year-old property in 2020.
credit: Restoration Hardware
The opening marked the first time that the redesigned building, featuring a total of 60 rooms, became
open to the public. In addition to the furniture exhibition, guests can stroll through the historic gardens and enjoy dining at three restaurants – Orangery, Loggia, and the Conservatory – as well as a wine lounge and a tearoom.
PENNY HAMBURG – REEPERBAHN BRANCH
Cult discounter in the red-light district: The Penny store on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg is internationally renowned. Upon entering the discount store, customers are faced with an array of neon letters with ambiguous wording: “Fresh Meat” by the meat department and “Hot Pieces” by the baked goods – all allusions to the red-light establishments that surround the store. Customers can also find graffiti and street art on the walls there. The entire design is reminiscent of the style of the Reeperbahn.
credit: PENNY
A visit to the Penny store on the Reeperbahn has become a “must-do” for many people when they are in Hamburg. Some fans even consider that particular Penny to be a landmark.
WOW CONCEPT IN MADRID
Department store of the future: WOW is an artistic retail project with a digital marketplace that complements the online shopping experience via interactive systems. The store is located in a neoclassical building on Madrid’s Gran Via, which dates back to 1915. The charm of the location is largely due to the integration of modern design and digital elements into the old building structure.
credit: WOW Concept Madrid
Items from hundreds of online brands can be found there, in addition to an innovative entertainment and gastronomy offer. Retail as a service for high-end brands – that’s the best way to describe the WOW Concept in Madrid. Dimas Gimeno Álvarez, the former President of El Corte Inglés, Europe’s largest department store chain, is the brainchild behind the store. He built WOW, a department store covering six floors, featuring tech products, fashion, and home decor.
Each floor has a different aesthetic theme. Only selected products are presented – and with great attention to detail. The focus is on the experience that results from interaction with digital gadgets and employees. The location is designed to complement the online shopping experience.
DOUGLAS FLAGSHIP DÜSSELDORF – FIRST GEN Z BEAUTY STORE
The first Gen Z beauty store: Douglas has opened a flagship store designed for young shoppers in Düsseldorf. Selfie spots, AR tools, and influencer meetings ensure that the experience-hungry smartphone generation gets its money’s worth. Douglas was primarily focused on its online store for quite some time. The opening of its flagship store in Düsseldorf marked the beauty retailer’s return to investment in its store network. All conversions and new openings consistently follow one common goal: omnichannel integration.
credit: Douglas
Douglas does not follow a one-size-fits-all concept, but looks at each store and its customers individually. The store in Düsseldorf visually differs from the typical Douglas look: Turquoise, the brand color, is mixed with a youthful pink. Various experience corners have also been added: Customers can virtually try on various make-up products in the Beauty Mirror.
Smartphone charging stations are attached to a mirrored wall. Selfie spots provide backgrounds for social media photos. The Beauty School is also new: Free workshops and master classes are held in that corner of the store. Douglas also intends to use the space as a place for influencers and their followers.
