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!

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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.

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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.

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#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