Goodbye, HollyWOOOOOD Montrose....

Today, I honor a purely fictional and yet highly representational character...

the actor who brought him to life has passed away, 

and I can think only of this way of sharing a nod to his talent, and his genius.

In the film MANNEQUIN,
the brilliant actor Meschach Taylor birthed 'Hollywood Montrose' -

a flamboyant and dramatic window dressing 'artiste'

who worked at Prince and Company department store, the setting of the film.
His over-the-top portrayal of a personality that many of us have encountered

was hilarious, touching, and entertaining
to say the very least.

I've always loved that film for shining a spotlight on the creative people behind store displays,

even though it's a cheesy 80's flick with very dated costuming and music.
I shared a 'virtual review' of the Prince and Company store in this post.

Enjoy...

Godspeed, mister Taylor.... and HollyWOOOOOOD.

More about the film here.

Virtual Review: Shopgirl

A film about modern relationships seems to be a strange place to find a retail store to review, but the title of 'Shopgirl' should tip you off.

The film revolves around a disenchanted salesgirl, Mirabelle Buttersfield. 

Our heroine watches over the evening glove counter at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. She does not actually SELL gloves, as this area of the bustling department store is rather empty most of the time, except to one customer - Ray Porter - who becomes her love interest.

For a full synopsis and review of the film, you can click here.

The revealing write-up will give you a well-developed view of Mirabelle, Ray, Jeremy, other characters, and the storyline. Those definitely relate to the store design we see... and truly, that isn't a lot. The store environment is used only to provide a backdrop for the development of Mirabelle's character, not as a character itself. Still photos are few & far between. However, it holds a great lesson in how and why store design is an important part of your business 'story'...

 [image from upscaleswagger.com]

Saks Fifth Avenue department store is a venerable bastion of modern-day shopping in the retail mecca of Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive. The service is legendary, the amenities luxe, and the scope of merchandise displayed akin to a den of thieves treasure. More art gallery than superstore, items are displayed like precious jewels. It's exactly what one would expect a huge retail establishment on famed Rodeo Drive to be, and scenes of the store interior on the first floor  - filled with expensive shoes, handbags, cosmetics, and fragrances - reflect this expectation.

As the POV (point of view) moves up the escalators to the second floor, where fashions are presented in boutique-like settings, the scene becomes a bit quieter, less busy, and less aggrandized.

By the time we - the viewers - reach the third floor, the colors have faded out, the space is barren, and the hushed scene is very nearly empty. Customers no longer populate the space in droves... a few lone shoppers tarry in the bridal salon, and walk past the evening glove 'department' without a second glance.

Here is where Mirabelle holds court, encased behind her glass-fronted counter like a prisoner. Mirabelle's facial expression and stance in the photo - detached and rather absent from the surroundings - are a perfect exterior view of her interior state. The girl suffers from depression, lacks any self-esteem at all, and seems to wander through her life without any idea where she is going or who she really is. Her waif-like frame and non-descript clothing perfectly convey the idea that Mirabelle is out of her element in Beverly Hills. (We discover later that she is from Iowa). 

Neutral colors on the walls and floor cause the space parameters to blur. When Mirabelle is in scene, the colors of her apparel are dulled, muted, and have the effect of fading her into the background. She's intent on not drawing attention to herself.... which is what the same colors do for the space. We're not sure if it's a small space or a large one, and so our response is to focus on the display fixtures that are clearly defined by sharp edges and hard materials. The glass case is nondescript and uninteresting, as well, but it's something to focus on. We get the feeling that Mirabelle feels the same way about her job.

Even the mannequin forms, which have softening curves, seem harsh and cold, by nature of being painted an un-lifelike white lacquer. They are not 'approachable' materials, just as Mirabelle seems unapproachable by her absent mannerisms. The dresses chosen to appear on those mannequins and hanging racks are shapeless sheaths, in muted colors. They evoke the hopelessness of Mirabelle's future and her uncertainty of her own worth as a woman.

Yes, I know this is getting a bit deep into the psychological state of the character... but the production /set designer took those cues and made them visual references. We feel the malaise that our heroine does - we imagine her spending eight hours a day, five to six days a week, stuck in this homogenized, muted world, and it saddens us. The store environment affects our state of being.

And THAT, my friends, is what store design can DO.

Take care in choosing your wall colors, your floor materials, your display cases and mannequins - because they combine to tell a story of your business, the main character in YOUR 'film'.  Determine your 'voice' and what you want customers to 'hear', because as they walk into and around your store, the environment is speaking. LOUDLY. Make sure it's saying something you want it to say. And that's before ever pulling a single product out of a box.

Let's go back to that display case for a moment...

Note that from this perspective, which would be exactly what customers see on their approach, the merchandise appears flat, one-dimensional, and uninteresting. Save for the two 'hands' reaching skyward on top of the glass case (a nod to Mirabelle's fledgling artistic dreams), the gloves are all displayed flat. There aren't even any on the mannequin in the background.

There is nothing more apt to make customers walk right by product as to display it in a way that is un-interesting and static. These are elegant evening gloves... and to sell them, they need to be displayed in a way that captures the beauty they will have when placed on a warm, moving, feminine hand. Set off by a sparkling bracelet, perhaps, or a single rose caressed between fingers.. Drape a pair of gloves over a stack of opera programs, and sit a pair of opera glasses nearby. (Remember the scene from another film, 'Pretty Woman', where Vivienne experiences her first opera? How her hands in the long, white evening gloves moved slowly to her face as she tried to hold back tears?) Make the merchandise come alive, and it will sell.

The story has its highs and lows, as does Mirabelle's psyche and her life. [This is a drama, not a comedy, despite being written by and starring Steve Martin.]

It's about becoming who you are meant to be, 

not disappearing into the crowd. 

A worthy effort - for a young woman AND for a business.

[images located via google image search and IMDB;

property of Touchstone Pictures]

Virtual Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's

I know, it's been awhile since I delved into stock film photos to review retail store locations. I have so many projects underway that blogging is taking a back seat. While I am otherwise engaged, may I offer a small appetizer to tide you over?!

'Breakfast at Tiffany's' is a classic film released in 1961, and is arguably the first one everyone mentions when I refer to 'retail stores in films'. It was adapted from a book by Truman Capote, and stars George Peppard and the always charming Audrey Hepburn (even though Capote wrote it for Marilyn Monroe to star in). We've all seen the screenshot of Audrey, as character Holly Golightly, standing on the sidewalk in the early morning hours after a night of 'working'. She's eating a danish, holding a paper coffee cup, and gazing longingly into the windows of the famed Tiffany & Co. jeweler's New York store - which is located at 727 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street in New York City, by the way. She dreams while staring at the glistening merchandise, her longing evident in her expression. (Don't we all wish we looked that good while window shopping?!)

Retail tip number one: Windows are the eyes to your store. What do they reflect? When customers step out of a cab or car, with or without danish & coffee in hand, and they look into your windows, do they stop? Do they gaze longingly? Do they dream of owning what they see? Does it call out to them 'Notice me!' (I do not mean scream. Effective displays never scream. They call, invitingly, like a siren's song, luring customers.) Is there light? Sparkle? Color? Interest? Is it clear what your product is?

Or, in some cases, is it clear what you are selling - the sizzle not the steak, so to speak. As in, 'It's not the clothes, it's the confidence that they inspire'. You know that philosophy. So did Holly. She's not longing for the diamonds per se - but the lifestyle and sense of accomplishment and worth that they stand for. She identifies with the image that the store presents. Here's what she said about that:

"I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I'm not sure where that is, but I know what it's like. It's like Tiffany's."

"When I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump into a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away."

"If I could find a real life place to make me feel like Tiffany's, then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name." -Holly Golightly

Do your customers aspire to live a lifestyle 'as seen in your store'? Are you inspiring them? Are you helping them to create, enjoy, improve, and enhance their lives? If you have ever heard the comment 'Oh, I could just LIVE here in your store!' , you're doing it right!

In a publicity shot for the film, Audrey is Breakfasting at Tiffany's as Holly Golightly, enjoying the luxury and excess of the lifestyle she longs for. There are a few key merchandising tips you can see in this photo:

That tablecloth next to Audrey? Note the color. Tiffany Blue. Signature color. Brand Image. There is no sign visible anywhere in this photo, yet because of that color and the jewelry, we know it is located at Tiffany & Co. This is what a brand image can do for your business, dear friends. Consistency in your visual presentation - using the same colors, fonts, taglines, style - will help your customers recognize your business in an instant.

Another note about color tips: the black tablecloths used on the other tables in this photo serve to make them stay in the background - our attention is focused directly on Audrey and that blue tablecloth in the foreground. This practice is called 'color spotting' and it is basically the science of using color to lead the customer's eye exactly where you want it to go. If there was a blue drape in the background, or a blue box on the counter, your eye would go there second. You can run a 'ribbon' of color from your windows through your store displays to your cashwrap, to make your customer move from place to place exactly as you want them to. Never fails!

Another tip: Simplicity when appropriate. The primary product of this business, jewelry, is small. It is delicate, and made up of many tiny details. Keeping everything else simple and subdued makes the jewelry stand out. Crisp lighting highlights the bling factor. Simple dark wood cases contrast with the bright shining metallic & jewel surfaces. Black velvet lining the cases serves the same purpose - when you look there, all you see is the sparkling jewelry. Don't over-prop or over-arrange small, delicate items. Let them stand out, so that all of the details can be noticed and appreciated.

Final tip: Attainable Status. HUH? I just pulled that phrase out of thin air. But what I mean by it is this: offer your customers (and potential customers) the ability to take a bit of the fantasy home with them. Create an experience, develop an image, position yourself in the marketplace. And if you are very high end - like Tiffany & Co. - don't apologize for that. Even in a 'recession'. Be proud of the quality you offer, of the excellence. Of the prestige, even. And then, make it possible for any person who walks in your store to take that home with them.

In the film, Paul and Holly go shopping at Tiffany's. They look at all of the wonderful offerings, both within and outside of their means, do some dreaming, and decide to have a Crackerjack ring engraved. It costs them ten dollars. They left the store with a Tiffany experience - for ten bucks. Holly was beaming. What can you offer your customers for ten bucks, or twenty bucks or five bucks, that exemplifies the experience, image, and prestige of your store? How can even customers on a strict budget share in what you are offering? Perhaps you can offer a votive candle version of your signature scent, in addition to a larger pillar size? How can you serve more customers, making them raving fans of your business who will spread the word about you? Oftentimes, it is a small thing that wins people over. When they need your product or service, they'll remember you, and you'll get their business. (Offering free retail tips on a blog serves the same purpose....wink)

Well my friends, that's the end of the appetizer course. I hope this post has sated your appetites for a bit... if not, may I suggest a danish and a cup of coffee?!

Image Credits: Property of Paramount Pictures, found on Google Image search at IMDB.com.
Buy the film here.

Virtual Review: 'Prince & Co.'

I just can't proceed with this series of reviewing stores in films without first tipping my hat to the only one that celebrates the talents of window dressers/visual merchandisers/ display stylists. Mannequin was released in 1987 and stars Andrew McCarthy and a very young Kim Cattral (long before she was Samantha on 'Sex and the City'). While completely campy, madcap, and overacted, it is still a fun look behind the 'employee only' doors of a department store. For those of us in the display biz, it proves what we've always suspected: Strange things happen after hours. ;0)
If you haven't seen this movie, I'll try to give you the short version:
Guy (Jonathan) makes Girl (Emmy, in a mannequin factory) and then gets fired, guy gets new job as window dresser and finds his creation in the window. One night, girl comes to life. She's actually an ancient Egyptian Princess imprisoned by some kind of magic. She only comes alive when they are alone - so everyone else sees her as a mannequin and thinks Jonathan is a bit 'off' when he's caught talking to her. Emmy helps Jonathan come up with some killer window displays, which of course help to save the store from certain demise - people come in droves to see the windows, and end up shopping. (Any wonder why I love this flick?!)

Now, my review: Let's look at that window display behind the actors in the scene above. This is window dressing taken as far as it could in the 80's. A nice scenic wallpaper is paired with a pvc pipe 'railing' and life preserver to evoke an ocean liner. It's big, it's colorful, it draws attention from the street. Excellent. If you did this in your store windows, you could then add either a mannequin (and I'm just guessing that one who comes to life each night isn't gonna' happen......) or a teak lounge chair to use as props that are ALSO fixtures. Load them up with apparel, accessories, etc. to sell your summer wares. This shot shows a lot of small things - they did that for interest on camera. Don't do it in your windows. Small stuff gets lost. Keep it in the medium to large size range, and don't crowd it.
Jonathan and Emmy are shown here in another scene, this time in the sporting goods department. They have crashed into the display of boxed soccer balls that was stacked in the center of the space.... my position on displays like that is that they tend to incite exactly that behavior instead of purchases. 'Nuff said.

Behind the actors, you see two mainstream ways to merchandise product: Slatwall on the left, shelving on the right. Slatwall is a necessary evil in retail, as it offers excellent use of vertical space and ease of rearranging shelving & hooks to display product on. My big pet peeve with this material is that for some reason, it came in the most godawful colors originally, and no one ever paints it. So too many stores now have mauve, sickly green, and gray-blue slatwall. This does nothing for your products or your store image. Nothing. Tip: PAINT IT! Get some KILZ primer and roll it on. Then roll on two coats of a color that has something to do with your brand image or at least store decor - bright, neutral, black, whatever. Then, if you are using particle board shelving on the metal brackets, paint the shelves too. Make the whole thing one color so that the wall is not the point - the PRODUCT is. Glass shelves work nicely here because they allow light to reach every area.

Shelving is another basic fixture in every store, but there are some tricks to using it effectively. First, most shelf units are too deep. You don't have to stock product allllllll the way to the back - does anyone ever really reach all the way back into a cubby shelf? Just keep the front half of the shelf full. Second, shelves prevent light from hitting products. ...they become small black holes. Back your shelves with mirror (use mirror tiles in built-in units, and a full mirror panel if they are free standing) or paint the wall white behind the shelves so it shows through. This will bounce light and make the shelving seem less foreboding. Mount track light fixtures on the ceiling 3 feet in front of your shelving, and aim the spots into the cubbies.... this will do wonders for your products.
OK, here's the BEST part of the film.... actor Meshach Taylor plays an eccentric window dresser named 'HollyWOOD Montrose' (that's HIS emphasis). He plays this role as a hilarious, drama-prone, flamboyant, and comical character - yet reminds us all of someone we know in retail! Behind monsieur Montrose is a glimpse of the store, 'Prince and Company'. The actual setting is Macy's Department store in Philadelphia (circa 1986, remember), which inhabits the historic Wanamaker Building. And what a building it IS...
When a building has this much history, architectural detail, and style, you simply have to make it part of your brand image. You have no choice. To ignore it and try to go for a cheap disco funk look (like competitor 'Elektra' in the film) would be a death knell to your business. Now, I realize that the building your stores are in likely do not feature their own ORGAN (see center of photo above) nor wall to wall marble colonnades. Not many do! But you have to look at your setting to determine how you can make it speak your language and tell your story. Just as in a film, the environment talks. What is it saying to your customers? Casual, or elegant? Masculine, or feminine? Expansive, or cozy? Opulent, or conservative?
This shot of the sales floor brings up a few important points:
*Note that white is the predominant color here. This is used as a neutral backdrop to set off the products, and to bounce light through the windowless space. Accents of black and dark wood warm it up, and provide delineation of areas.

*See the lamps sitting on the glass countertops? We talked in my last virtual review about how incandescent light is necessary to counteract the cooling effect of fluorescent. These fixtures are at eye level for customers, drawing them closer to the display fixtures with their warmth. They also splash warm light downward onto the jewelry below, making it sparkle. As a matter of fact, do you see how all of the warm ambient lighting is located at low levels in the store? It focuses attention on the merchandise.

*Notice the wide aisles. People need room to walk, stop, browse, turn, and bend. There's a principle in retail called the 'Butt Brush Factor' (thank you very much, Paco Underhill!) and it has to do with our aversion to having people encroach on our personal space while we shop. We don't like an arm touch, we avoid shoulder to shoulder contact, and if we are bending over and someone should by chance brush against our posterior - well, we are OUTTA' there. Shopping ceases. So, give people room! Aisles should be 3' wide at a minimum - and I see so much less than that in many stores I visit. For safety and stocking ease alone, this rule is important.
This overhead shot from the mezzanine level shows repetition of shapes and symmetry in the layout - important in making the store easy to navigate & understand. Their consistent height also keeps the visual sightline open, so that customers can see where things are located as they walk through the space. You can also see some large-scale florals on the tops of pedestals... this is a lovely addition that will bring life and nature into your store, and help you soften the effect of all the hard surfaces. Using large branches, plants, log rounds, grasses, or even fresh flowers is an inexpensive way to express seasonal interest and personality in your store. (And usually, the materials are free!)

Looking thru the arches on the right, you can see some tables arranged as fixtures... they all match. All of the tables are the same wood finish, and are available in varied sizes. This allows for them to be easily combined in many different configurations as the need arises from week to week, season to season. The focus remains on the merchandise, not the fixtures. If you have fixtures that are a mismatch of colors, materials, woods, think about how much fresher and crisper they would all look if painted one color. Black, white, or one of your logo colors (subtle!) would enable you to create new combinations all over your store, using everything you have. Just add a prop and a lot of merchandise, and you have a successful display. (Again, start with a good primer like KILZ on metal and lacquered wood, then paint.)

One last tip: mannequins can be plaster, resin, wire, moss, paper, or metal. You can use anything to create a 'body' form to show off product. You can take old plaster mannequins and paint them hot colors or collage old paper to them or hot glue pennies all over them. Again, it's all about expressing your business' personality and brand image. Be consistent and innovative.

Whether you ever see this film or not, the tips gained from this review can help you build a better business. So now you have no excuse for being a dummy! BahdumPUM.

Photo Credits: Film Poster and production stills from IMDB, property of Gladden Entertainment. Buy a copy of the movie at Amazon.

Virtual Review: Shop Around the Corner

I was perusing some of my favorite blogs and ran across a recent post on 'Hooked on Houses' that showed photos of Meg Ryan's character's home in the film 'You've Got Mail'. I love that film, and not just because it has a few of my fave actors in it. It deals with the ups and downs (literally) of life as an independent business owner.

However, I'm not writing a film review blog here. When I saw one of these photos, I thought 'Why did they choose that paint color for the store exterior?' - and a lightbulb went on over my head.

I have this wacky idea to take retail shops shown in films and do a 'virtual review' of them. Meaning I'll post the photos here, and then talk about what really works visually and also what doesn't work from a retail standpoint, and make suggestions for changes. This, in turn, is supposed to inspire you when it comes to your own store visual impact. What do you think? Interested? Do I need a more compelling 'trailer' to hook you?!

Let's start with number one, and see how you like it....This shot inspired my original thought of 'Why did they choose that color paint for the store exterior?' It really doesn't enhance the architecture, draw the eye away from other things and TO the store entrance, or reflect the personality of the business itself. Which are all important considerations in your visual impact. But in films, setting itself is a character. It is a visual representation of the backstory and the plot. And this setting is a character that is slowing down, getting old, almost obsolete, is a little bit forlorn, and whose appearance belies the depths of what is going on inside. If it was shown as a person, it would be Kathleen's memory of her mother - growing dimmer, fading, losing focus. And once you realize that, you can see WHY the dark forest green was chosen. It hides a lot. It's probably the color that Kathleen's mom chose all those years ago, and she just keeps painting it the same color to honor that choice. (Which could have been made just because the paint was on discount in the OOPS pile and mama was on a budget, who knows?!)

The sign hanging on the building, however, is absolutely stunning. The use of exuberant script for the name and storybook character additions exemplify the childlike wonder held behind those sad doors, and draw you inside to discover untold wonders. Sounds like I'm describing Meg's character, doesn't it? Your signs should describe your business 'character' in the same way.

If this were my client's storefront, I'd talk to them about their business brand image, what they stand for, the mood they want to create in their store, who their customer is - and then I'd express those qualities on the exterior. Paint would be a soft yellow with crisp white trim, and soft green shutters on the windows. The door would be red- a nice warm orangey poppy red, not a hard fire-engine red. More approachable, less intimidating! These colors are sunny, happy, invigorating, and they appeal to children - and to parents of children. They also express the playful spirit of wonderment and exploration that we find inside. And you have to share that on the outside of your store - or customers will never know what you are all about inside. Oh, and I'd remove the trash and plant happy colorful flowers under the tree, too.
Look carefully at this photo, and you'll see Kathleen (Meg's character) bouncing in the door. She's opening her shop up in the morning, embracing another day. I'd bet almost every customer who walks in those doors experiences the same thing.... for just look at what greets them! Color, everywhere. An infinite selection of books with colorful covers (and we DO judge a book by it's cover, don't we?!) on display at many levels, so that customers of every age and height find something to marvel at. The floor is patterned and fun. There are many details to entice the eye, enchant children, and rekindle memories of childhood for older customers. And THAT is a powerful marketing tool: Memories. It's called 'Emotional Marketing', and it relies on recreating an experience or setting that will transport your customers to another time & place. Yes, it takes effort - but it pays off. Want an example? Disneyland. 'Nuff said.

The overhead light fixtures are large, and emit warm light to entice a slower pace, browsing, and an escape into the worlds that books open up to us. Here, there is no clock, no time (except StoryTime), and no hurrying. Smaller lamps are also placed within the shelving to add dimension to the book displays. Especially with overhead florescent lighting, it is absolutely imperative to bring in warm ambient light. Without it, colors look faded, details go flat, and moods deteriorate. Doubt that? Go to Kmart for half an hour. ;(

Stuffed animals, toys, and assorted merchandise is added to the mix as a contrast to the hard surfaces of books. In design, this is standard - offset hard with soft, smooth with rough, light with shadow. From a retail standpoint, this is a classic tip for increasing your per transaction totals: Offer the book and the companion CD, stuffed animal, or backpack, and most people will grab both as a gift, instead of just one. Make it easy, and it works. It also makes your displays look much more interesting.

What I would change here is those freestanding units in the center of the room. There are some low cubbies on them that are dark, not doing the products any justice. And even tho we want things to be reachable for kids here, the bottom shelves on the sides are located below overhangs - I can see a few head bonks happening. Better to bring in some nesting tables, which provide varying levels in which to display merchandise. It's a bit more flexible, and if you use colored tables, more visually interesting, too.
This shot shows a windowed alcove that houses Kathleen's office. I love this! She has some privacy, but is available to staff and customers as well. In some cases, it's absolutely impossible to do this in a business environment, but in a small independent store, you ARE your business. People want to know the person behind it all. Being available sends a very powerful message to your customers and your staff - even if it's just for a part of your business day, this is a smart move. The quirky touches added by the production design team here jump out at me: mini-lights are strung haphazardly (because we all know that Kathleen and her staff hung them late at night after closing when they were exhausted, because that's the only chance they had, right?!), little handmade red paper hearts dance along the shelf edges, and treasured old volumes of childhood favorites are tucked into the glass case by Kathleen's office. It's not generic, it's not cookie-cutter, it's not what you will find anywhere else on earth. And that is exactly what makes it work. Anything you can do to make your store stand out from others (in a GOOD way! ;0) ) is going to help you. This includes your product mix, too! Make it memorable.
This shot of the store's cashwrap shows some great tips:
*Create a large visual behind your cashwrap (register counter). When customers are looking at the staff member behind the register, what they REALLY see is what's behind that person. Is it expressing your store's personality, values, brand image? Are there interesting things to see, information, educational opportunities, or product for sale? Or is there a messy stack of something on a back counter, waiting to be put away? This is very valuable real estate, so use it wisely.

*Use the counter space near your register to display 'Point of Purchase/POP' merchandise, also known as 'impulse buys'. In Kathleen's shop, we see a few stacks of small books, what may be a container of bookmarks, etc., and behind her there is a hook with canvas book bags on it. These all relate directly to a customer's purchase of a book and are low-cost products, and therefore are an easy add-on to their purchase. (You remember sales 101, right? 'Would you like fries with that?' IN this case, it's 'Would you like a bookmark to go with that? How about a bag for the gift to go into?' They are already buying - it's not hard to add another item for a lesser price to that. The power of suggestion goes a long way.)

*Again we see a small lamp, casting warm light onto the counter, and fresh flowers in a cup. These add a softness to the hard counter surface & edges, and create a feeling of home, warmth, calm, and comfort. You want to slow down here.... which gives the store ample time to tempt you with those POP items mentioned above. This is also the place for flyers for your upcoming sale, event, or new product introduction. A nice idea is to offer them up in containers, rather than having leaning stacks of paper all over the counter.

*Even with all of this going on around & on the cashwrap, it is still important to leave plenty of room for customers to place their selections AND their purses or checkbooks. Don't make the space too small, or even one item that they buy will seem large in proportion to it - and that may make them reconsider their choice. A large, wide counter area will make their selection seem smaller.

You can see by all of this that retail is driven by psychology. It is by manipulating space, visuals, lighting, sound, smell, and mood that we influence customers to enter, stay, browse, buy, and return. It is an endless exercise in change, endurance, growth, education, and imagination that enables retailers to stay on top of their game and at the forefront of their customer's minds. Yes, what you sell IS important - but even the very best merchandise won't sell at full price if it's presented in torn boxes on dirty shelves. Visual impact is a huge part of business, and utilizing the principles that have been proven to work can help you build a better business.

If you liked this post, let me know! I've got a few other 'locations' scouted to bring you in future posts... and if YOU have favorite movies with shops, boutiques, or other kinds of retail sales venues in them, send me the title or link. I'll look them up and see what I can do to include them in this series.

Disclaimer: I'm pulling photos from other resources, but I'll be identifying and linking to those resources in each post, and crediting the film studios - as this is their property. I see this done a lot on blogs & web sites, and am under the general understanding that since I am not being paid for providing this info & photos, and am crediting the original and secondary source, I am ok doing this. If you know a solid and legal reason to refute that, please let me know. Thank you.

By the way, the saddest part of this film is when Kathleen closes her failed store. On the last night, as she leaves for the last time, she stands in the doorway, looks at the barren, empty space, and remembers 'Twirling' with her mother when she was a child, in that very shop that her mother owned. It is the death of a shared lifetime dream, and her deep despair leaps off of her face and into the viewer's heart. Anyone who has ever faced this situation knows that awful feeling. At that point, it's not about numbers or P&Ls or spreadsheets. It's about the soul of your business being let go....and a little bit of yourself along with it. Let's do what we can do together to keep you from having to face that particular 'end scene', shall we?

Photo Credits: found on 'Hooked on Houses' blog; photos and title property of Warner Brothers Pictures. Buy a copy of this film at Amazon.