A Window Display is 'Painting a Picture'

Retail Visual Merchandising is an art....
and I've always described what I do as a visual stylist this way:
"I create still life paintings using dimensional objects
 instead of paint or pastels."
This window display brought that together with actual fine art...

Continue reading to find Artful Display ideas!

Plan NOW for Holiday Season Success!

I know, it's October... but I'm going there.

Are there boxes of Christmas merchandise stacked and waiting for floor space?

Most of you are saying yes right about now.

Relax - you've done the easy part. But you're not done yet!

Because the hard part is that you need to have a plan ready

for how, where, when, and why those boxes of product will make it to the sales floor.

And you need that plan NOW, my friends.

Before you pull an all-nighter to set it up. Before you leave a list of 'to do's' with the staff.

Before you have the invites for your big holiday decor unveiling event printed.

(You ARE having a big unveiling event, aren't you?) Before your ads hit the media.

Retailers count on the holiday season for a large percentage of their annual income,
and it makes sense to plan for it. 

But far too many businesses just roll the stuff out on carts and start stuffing it into displays. 

Don't sabotage yourselves! 

With a bit of planning, you can reap all of the benefits of a successful Holiday season.

continue reading for my top tips for planning your holiday displays...

Successful Vintage Show Booth Design

Over the past twenty years, I've presented seminars to vintage vendors
at an antique show in the Pacific Northwest and at a vintage show in Southern California.
I've also written articles about vintage/antique shows for magazines,
AND participated as a vendor in some of the best vintage shows in the country.

After providing LOADS of information in my fast-paced one hour presentations, 
I provided the vendors with handouts filled with everything I spoke about [and more] 
so that they could refer to it later.
[the truth is, I talk so fast that they could never 'take notes' to capture everything I said!!]

A few years ago, I made that handout available here on my retail design blog.
Since it's always helpful for vintage and antique vendors to learn 
the principles of visual merchandising and display 
in a way that directly relates to their industry,
I am happy to share the information with you again!

 Click the 'read more' link for more info...

NEW 'Specialty Shop Retailing' Book

the 4th edition of the book Specialty Shop Retailing released last month,

with this revised and expanded edition offering an in-depth education for any retailer.

aimed at stores offering a specific product mix to a targeted niche demographic, 

the wealth of information within the pages will be of help to every retailer - 

from those who've grown up to take over a venerable family business 

to the entrepreneurial generation striking out to make their own mark.

whether you've been at it for years, or are just starting out, 

this book WILL help you - so get your hands on it and read it cover to cover!

I've spent a lifetime providing visual merchandising services to specialty retailers large and small - 

wineries, hotel gift shops, scrapbooking stores, local yarn shops, and finally,

the highly niche-dependent Walt Disney Corporation.

as i have learned through hands-on experience and through success and failure,

this kind of retail is not the same as 'we offer it all' department or big box stores, 

and this book provides an educational resource for attaining success in your specialty niche.

I highly recommend it!

author Carol Schroeder and I have been speakers at the same retail industry events for decades.

we have concurrently contributed to many of the same retail resources, 

including a killer visual merchandising Pinterest board ;) 

I am honored that she asked for a contribution from me for this book...

Carol included this photo of one of my displays for a winery on page 171,

in the 'Visual Merchandising: Displays That Sell' chapter:

I agree with Carol that this display works well as an example of cross-merchandising,

from the juxtaposition of products, textures, and shapes to the 'lifestyle' presentation style.

a 'vignette' of furniture and decorative accessories - linens, pottery, and floral elements - 

adds visual interest to the massed shelving of product (wine) accessible to shoppers,

and inspires customers to buy more than just wine...

which is the main reason to use this style of display:

offer more than expected to entice customers to increase their purchases.

click to see more of my winery displays in my portfolio

the book is available through major retailers - but let's go with the spirit of it,

and order/purchase from small specialty retailers!
Carol sells the book at her own store, Orange Tree Imports, 

and online at IndieBound.org and SpecialtyShopRetailing.com 

Going Above & Beyond 'Business'

I just can't stop thinking about this.
And though I had planned to write a post about a different subject this week,

this situation is one that bears sharing and honoring...

Honestly, folks, how many retailers do you know who would open up their stores / showrooms to refugees in their own hard-hit community? How many would allow hundreds of people who are soaking wet and likely covered with dirt and detritus from flood waters to walk on the carpeted floors, and sit and sleep on the brand-new furniture that's for sale? How many would also provide them with food and water?

There are many people reaching out to Texas right now, and it's heartwarming to see. 

But THIS... well... 

Mr. Jim McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston, Texas, gets a standing ovation from me, for showing the world why independent 'mom n pop' retailers aren't the 'dying breed' the media likes to make them out to be: By opening his two furniture stores as shelters for displaced residents impacted by Hurricane Harvey, he rises above not just the water, but also the clamor of noise about how business is all about sales technique and merchandising and marketing and gift shows. He's interested in bettering his community and the people in it, as are so many of you. BRAVO, sir!

People like Mr. Jim McIngvale aren't just serving their local communities with actions like this.... they are rebuilding my hope in humanity. God bless you, sir, and all who open their hearts and arms in times like these. I'm learning more from you about how to 'do' business than through any book I've read or course I've taken or podcast or seminar I've listened to, and from businesses I have worked with / for. People like Jim have a lot to teach us. 

See the whole story in this news video

Edited to Add:
I just learned of another Houston-area retailer who is stepping up: 

Retail chain Academy Sports + Outdoors opened its Houston-area stores to rescuers in need of boats, life preservers and other supplies. They have now converted their corporate headquarters into temporary residences for hundreds of police and other emergency responders. As of this morning, they are hosting more than 400 rescue-team members at the corporate campus west of Houston.

 I offer a hearty round of applause and gratitude to this company and its dedicated staff!

See the whole story in the Wall Street Journal

I'm not going to endorse any one charity here, 

but I will encourage you to donate in some way to assistance for Texas. 
I'll be donating a portion of my fees as a stylist and photographer for The Vintage Marketplace show,

my project next week, to a charity that is offering assistance to Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Hey, Vendors - What's Your Sign?

I have a pet peeve when it comes to the vintage world...
It affects me when I am photographing a show.

It affects me when I am looking for a particular booth.
I see it affecting customers as they shop, and I wonder how many vendors / curators DON'T see it.

But then.... my pet peeve is something that ISN'T seen:

It's missing signage.

Sadly, the lack of a sign in a booth is a very common mistake.

At every show I attend (and that's a LOT), I see several booths without signage.
In photos shared on social media - by shows and even the vendors themselves! - I see it every day.
There have been times I'd love to have contacted the vendor who created such a lovely display, 

but I have no idea who it IS  - because they didn't make a sign with their name on it for their booth.

To quote Nancy Kerrigan, WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY???
Why on Earth would anyone go to all of the trouble of having a booth in a show

and then NOT put their name on a sign in that booth?!

It defies logic. 

Especially when there are more easy ways to create a sign than I can count.

There are difficult ways, too, and that's fine... just make one, for heavens' sake!
Put that baby on your booth wall, hang it from your pop up, stick it on the front of your cash stand!

Here are some incredibly amazing signs that I saw on my recent trip to 

The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair,

where some of the best vendors / curators in the vintage biz show off their stuff.
Yes, there are still people there who didn't have signs....

but THIS is how the PROs do it: 

Though all of the signs above are neutral in color, they have incredible visual impact.
From scale and lighting, to unique materials and simple construction,

you NOTICE the name of the vendor/curator in the booth as soon as you look at it.

Details:
Lisa Souers gathered up all kinds of letters and mounted them to old boards.
Junk Hunks revived marquee letters and lit them with patio lights.
Farm Salvation and FOUND painted on old glass windows.
Storehouse Goods painted on a rusty old windmill part.
Home Sweet Home painted on simple chalkboard panels.
Atelier de Campagne had a scrap of metal laser-cut.

The signs in this image all have color in common, running the gamut of the rainbow

while also presenting the brand of the business in visual form. 
As individual as the people who made them, they speak before customers are even IN the booth.

Details:
The Urban Gardener simply painted her biz name over a thrifted framed painting.
American Country Charm ironed letters onto children's denim overalls.
Marigold Vintage used a children's chalkboard.
Apron Strings used a cabinet door. Unexpected Necessities used a headboard.

This Old House painted on old wood planks.
Tailfeathers used blocks painted with letters, topped with birds.

This is basic marketing, folks... just like biz cards and social media accounts,

you need signage in your booth at a show, and in a store. 

Help customers find & remember you!
Help show hosts, photographers, writers promote you through sharing!

So.... to recap, you can use these items to make a sign:

framed paintings . chalkboards . children's clothing items . cutout wood letters . old wood boards

headboards . cabinet doors . old windows . old window screens . an old windmill tail

laser-cut metal scraps . salvaged sign lettering . salvaged marquee letters . salvaged ANYTHING

fabric . paper . posterboard . cardboard . paint . stickers . felt pens . pencils . crayons

here's some of the signage I created for my past vintage business:

 small signs on the cash counter and on the register    .   a flag flying over the booth

 a headboard made into a sign, attached to the fence outside my barn where my shows were held

decals applied to canvas panels that created sides of the booth

a painted kitchen cabinet door that hung from the tent frame

It wasn't hard to make those signs, and I used them for years.

Do YOU have a clever, creative sign for your vintage business?
Share a photo of it on my facebook page!

Containing Community & Commerce

I love watching the changing face of retail...

over my 45 years of involvement with the industry, 

I've seen many 're-inventions' and new concepts rolled out.

Some fail, some succeed.
But I am always wondering 'What's NEXT?' for retail.

I recently had the chance to see a concept that has every reason

to become a successful way to create shopping experiences all over the globe...

The Las Vegas Downtown Container Park 

is probably one of the most unique retail spaces I've seen.
Located on Fremont Street, just a few blocks away from a neon-lit tourist mecca of casinos,

 it's an open-air shopping center and entertainment venue  

that was built in 2013 from 43 re-purposed shipping containers

and 41 locally manufactured Xtreme cubes to create individual retail spaces. 

Situated on three levels,

the center offers wide open spaces along with retail and food service space:

The shops range from boutiques offering a variety of apparel, jewelry and accessories 

to art galleries, home décor and fixtures, 

and a barbershop housed in a retired boxcar and caboose. 

The park also includes restaurants and bars with indoor and outdoor seating, 

a park and raised stage for entertainment, and spots for a quick treat - 

including cupcakes, an old-fashioned candy shop, a gourmet popcorn store, and more.

In all, there are 39 retailers located within the complex.

At first glance, it's a cool industrial vibe.
On second thought, it's a brilliant way to re-purpose shipping containers - 

which too often simply rust away to nothing in salvage yards.

I wonder how many of these centers of commerce and community

could be created in areas around the globe, in virtually any economic setting,

to offer cost-effective venues for merchants, artisans, growers and makers? 

Include service providers - hair, nails, tanning, massage, urgent care, pet grooming - 

and you've another group of small businesses to serve.

We're in the midst of National Small Business Week, 

and I can imagine that this creative and economical kind of structure

could have a far-reaching effect on small businesses in communities everywhere.
What are your thoughts?
Would YOU embrace this in your community? Would YOU rent space like this?

information for this post was gathered from this source

Magnolia Silos Retail, Part Deux

Okay, Y'all.... I promised you MORE photos from my recent visit

to the Magnolia Silos in Waco, Texas...... Here they are!

.

The 2-acre site was formerly an abandoned agricultural property,

then Joanna & Chip Gaines reclaimed, rehabbed, remodeled, revived, and re-branded it

into a retail village, right in the heart of downtown Waco, Texas.

They've made use of the existing structures and architecture in an appealing way...

The first thing you notice when you walk into the development is that it's BIG.
Not just the land... but everything ON it! BIG BIG BIG!

 

 As a matter of fact, it's so BIG that you need directions to find everything. 

There's a MAP for that!

Very smart, if you ask me.... you don't want to miss anything while here,

and the map (located in front of the main retail store from my last Magnolia post) makes sure that you don't.

Along with that main store, there are two other retail buildings on site
(with a third in progress - inside one of the silos!)
The Silos Bakery:

The patio area outside of the bakery is a very nice touch - and it was FULL!

I was unable to visit the inside of the bakery, 

because the line outside was two blocks long

and I wasn't going to ask my family members to wait two hours for me

to get a cupcake and snap some photos.
(but those musta' been some REALLY amazing cupcakes!)

Another building is the Garden Store:

 Signature decor touches and merchandising style reflect the aesthetic of the main store.

This area is much less busy than the main store, but has a nice selection of 

branded apparel and garden tools & accessories.
If you want to take home a Magnolia souvenir but hate waiting in long lines,
I recommend shopping in this location ;) 

Near the Garden Store, across the beds of flowers and vegetables, 

is the Garden Shed (not accessible to guests)

The garden area is decidedly less busy than the large (faux) lawn and picnic table areas,

so it's possible to sit in a willow tree chair and find a bit of silence amidst the crowds...

The facility functions as a community space, 

with room for lawn games, picnics, and stopping to smell the roses

along with - or instead of - shopping for retail treasures.
The only issue is limited parking.... on Friday & Saturday, it's gonna' be a hike.

There is ample space on the grounds for a weekly gathering of gourmet food trucks,

and the twice-yearly 'Silo-bration' event,

where the Gainses invite purveyors of handmade & vintage goods to sell to their customers.

Personally, I think that's smart - it's a way for the loyal Magnolia fans to

get their hands on authentic vintage goods along with the Silos experience - 

because the store's main offerings are 

brand new, mass-produced, home decor accessories, which are available on their website,

with a few handmade items sprinkled in.

.

All in all, I was very impressed with what the Gainses have created,

how it is true to their brand and style,

and how they have brought their tv show to life so that people can experience it in a new way.
They are 'Telling Their Own Story', so to speak... 

which is something I've been advocating in seminars, articles, and blog posts 

for over two decades now.

That's just smart business.

For more about Magnolia Marketplace, the Silos, and Fixer*Upper,
visit the Magnolia website.

.

5 Business Tips for Creatives

Let's Talk Shop@, shall we?

I usually give you advice about the visual aspects 

of your store, show booth, showroom, studio, and displays.

But National Small Business Week is coming up, 

and I'd like to look at the 'business side' of retailing for a moment

as I share a few tips that I've learned along this crazy 'self employed' road.
These won't be the typical ones that you read in magazines, 

because I'm not a typical business person.

I'm a creative person - and that's how my business has grown: Creatively. Organically. 

And while my growth has always been focused on the central aspect of 

educating & inspiring people to think creatively when it comes to their stores, 

it hasn't all gone 'according to plan'.  Mine or anyone else's.

I spent my teen years and early adulthood as a retail visual merchandising employee,
where most of my employers saw my potential and gave me carte blanche with displays.
(One clothing chain even hired me to dress windows in three mall stores - when I was 17.)
With a lot of initiative and energy, I pitched more and more projects,

and eventually ended up handling the visuals and holiday decor for some major Seattle retailers,
along with holiday decor for executive residences.
Independent retailers contacted me to style their store displays,
and help plan their move into new locales or expansions of their existing spaces.
I blogged here, sharing my tips, tricks, and ideas with retailers looking for ideas.
And I was perfectly happy doing that. Until....

.

Out of the blue, I stumbled across the opportunity to speak at a wholesale gift show, 

then that grew into speaking at other shows across the country.

Which turned into requests for written content for publications in the retail industry

and invitations to speak at other kinds of shows and conventions,
and a contract to produce a video series.
Eventually, opportunity led me to become an employee again, for a time - 

for the ONE giant retailer that I built my own visual philosophy around

and had used as a benchmark of successful retail practices throughout my career.

I didn't see most of that coming, to be honest, but I am thrilled that it all happened!

Which leads me to my first point: 

You can't plan for everything that will happen. And that's GOOD!

1.
Say Yes - whenever you can, try something new.

Unexpected opportunities may appear that are something you didn't plan for - SAY YES to them.
I was perfectly content to provide hands-on display styling services to my local clients,
when an opportunity to design a new floor plan for a client's shop came along. I said yes.
Then the speaking engagements appeared, and I said yes.
Then the requests for magazine and online content came in, and I said yes.
Then a company approached me about creating a video series, and I said yes.
I made time, I made an effort, I rearranged some other things, 

and I followed the path of adventure and risk.
And it paid off  - 

by making me a better designer, a stronger business owner, and a less risk-averse person.
Dare I say it makes me a more creative-thinking person, as well? ;)

... and in regard to that 'becoming an employee again' situation:

2.
Don't Be Afraid to Circle Back - because you can't step in the same river twice.

(Yes, there's a pun in there. If you've read my blog for any length of time, 

you know that I am an unabashed Disney fan. That line is from Pocahontas.)

My point is that even if you shift into reverse and go back to doing something that you did before,

downsize your biz to focus on the basics, or even stop for a while and become an employee again
(as I did when I became a Retail Visual Specialist employee/ Cast Member at Disneyland),

you're going to learn something new. 

Even if you're in an old place. Because everything changes:

YOU. Business. Technology. The world.
And what you learn looking back might just be the thing that propels you forward.

One of the hardest things about business is adding new clients & customers.
Help yourself in that area by showing them how to become one:

3.

Tell Prospective Clients HOW to Hire You - explain your process and give them a formula to follow.

Communication is hard. It shouldn't be, but it is.
It takes guts for a potential client to contact you, so make it as easy as possible for them to do so.
Tell them where to contact you, and give them an outline of the information you need at the get-go, 

somewhere very visible & accessible on your website, blog, and social media.

I created a page on my design blog and website in the form of an email 'example', 

showing prospective clients exactly how they could jump-start my work on their project

by giving me pertinent information about their biz, their challenges, 

along with how & when they need me to help them... in their very first email to me.
I call it 'How to Hire Me #101'. See it here.

I've received  40% more inquiries and requests for work since adding that information,

telling me that spelling it out really does add up.

Next up... realize that you're gonna' need help.

Not one single person who's ever opened a business knew EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING

at the start. You don't even know what you don't know yet. 

4.

Never Stop Learning - because you don't know what you don't know yet.

Many artisans create beautiful wares, but have no idea how to best display them to sell.
Many retailers open stores to sell merchandise - but have no idea how to market themselves.
Get online and find information about marketing and merchandising and store planning
(or whatever it is that you don't know much about) and learn what you can.
As a matter of fact, assign yourself homework -
pick up / download books on business - all kinds of business, not just yours -
and keep reading. Keep learning. Keep stretching yourself.

You can also hire a consultant for an hour, to answer your most nagging questions. 

I do this all the time - you don't have to hire me to completely design your space. 

Hire me for an hour and then ask me questions like "Where do I put the register?".

I'll not only show you where, I'll tell you WHY. ;)

... and along that same thought, don't do everything the hard way!

5.

Know Your Strengths - and get tools to help you overcome your weaknesses.

. 

No one is good at everything... and there are solutions for that.
Sometimes, the solution is to LET IT GO and let someone else handle it for you.
(that's not a Disney reference, it just sounds like one)

Is your weakness negotiating a lease? Call a realtor and ask a few questions to clarify,
or pay a paralegal for an hour to review the lease before you sign.
Do you feel out of touch when it comes to social marketing? Ask your employees - 

especially the Gen X and Y crowd, because they GET IT - and hand over the task.
Is your challenge presenting your merchandise in stunning displays THAT SELL?
Well, you know who to ask - and now you know HOW to hire me!
,
I'm a creative-brain person, and numbers put me in a tailspin. I accept this.
You can't run a business without accounting,
and there's no better resource for that than Quickbooks from Intuit.
It's the software equivalent to being a Mensa society member,
and it's saved my sanity - and TONS of time - for many years.
_________________________

Disclosure: I've partnered with Intuit to share this information
in return for inclusion of one of my tips in their site's NSBW post.

Update: May 5
I just received the link and graphic from them. Their post published today.
It's the last day of NSBW AND they got my name wrong. Not thrilled.
__________________________

Owning your own business is a continual learning experience.

As a matter of fact, self-owned businesses are often referred to as a 'baby', 

and it is indeed a LOT like parenthood: a learn-on-the-job undertaking.
And just like parenthood, it requires that you get advice, 

read all you can and sift through what 'fits', 

understand that it requires sacrifice and sustained effort with little sleep,

taking chances & risks, trusting your gut, and focusing on growth - YOURS included!

Visit the SBA website for helpful tools + information about National Small Business Week

#MilesToMagnolia

As a retail store designer and visual stylist, I love great store design ideas.
And right now in retail, there's no one with more ideas coming to fruition

than Joanna Gaines, of HGTV's FIXER*UPPER show!

Her Magnolia Empire, built with hubby Chip Carter Gaines, 

includes the massive Magnolia Marketplace in Waco, Texas -

a block of renewed and revived buildings in the center of 'downtown'

(including two giant silos, which earned the development the nickname 'the Silos')

Last weekend, I made the pilgrimage to Waco on my own #MilesToMagnolia adventure

( approximately 1385.8 miles, btw!) 

and while there, I snapped a load of photos of the retail & public spaces at Magnolia Market.

There are a LOT of great ideas that are prefect examples of how retail space planning & design

and simple merchandising practices can elevate a shopping experience.
But it's not just shopping...
Fans of the HGTV show, subscribers to the magazine, antique hounds, and decor mavens

travel far and wide to see this place in person AND to catch a glimpse of Chip & JoJo,

bonafide celebs in a little town that they've helped to revive.
They may have a giant enterprise now, but the Gaines' are entrepreneurs

who have a heart for their small town... much like many of you reading this.
And since so many of my clients are small town biz owners, 

I know you'll find inspiration in what these two have created.

OK.... on to the photos!

I love the way Joanna designed her store around a neutral palette... white, black, and wood tones.
It sets the stage for merchandise of any color in any season to stand out - 

AND it makes those seasonal display changes much easier to accomplish.
Jo switches up the mix of light and dark to create visual impact throughout the space.

Learn more about Jo's design philosophy for her store in her own words,

here on her Magnolia Journal blog.

See how those pops of color bring the displays to life?
Many of the props you see here are made from paper - my favorite cheap material!
Using one material in many areas and in varied ways helps to unify the visual style of a store.

There is continuity of design throughout not only this space, which is the main retail store,

but the entire development.

Notice also that displays 'speak the brand' - reflect the singular aesthetic that Joanna curates

in her design work, product creation, and merchandise mix...

The entry display holds the current issue of Magnolia Journal Magazine - 

and the props perfectly reflect the cover image style and palette. 

THIS is brand image!

I was impressed with the space allowed for aisles and near the cashwrap & shipping counters.
Nothing will ruin a great store faster than narrow aisles that you can't get down.
Even packed with people, this space WORKS for traffic flow and access to the products...

because if your customers can't get close enough to the displays to grab something

and then get processed through checkout in a timely manner,

it doesn't matter HOW gorgeous your store looks.
Retailers entice, engage, entertain, inspire - but we must SELL!

Because I took SO many photos, I'm going to save some for another post....

where we'll look at the other buildings on the property and how they have been incorporated

into the story that is being told at Magnolia Marketplace...

Need help pulling together a visual design plan for your store space or show booth?
Shoot me an email and let's talk shop!
debi.wardkennedy@gmail.com