When the New York Islanders needed a new wingman, they called one up from their farm team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. When they needed someone to renovate their team store, they put a call into Trio Display. “The National Hockey League gave Trio Display a terrific recommendation,” said Islander Director of Merchandising, Terry Goldstein. “Then we looked at the work they did designing the team store for the San Jose Sharks and liked what we saw.”

The store is located in the Broadway Mall, a mid-level in Hicksville, New York. Working with a generous budget, the Trio design department looked forward to the opportunity. “The budget affords us a great opportunity to be creative,” said Todd Murphy, Trio Store Designer. “We can theme every detail, and we’re designing from scratch.”

The Trio Display department drew a bead on the hardcore Islander fan with detail that includes a floor rendered as an ice rink. The designers came up with custom-built hockey stick clothes racks and gravity-fed puck dispensers. You’d half expect to see a Zamboni sweeping the aisles.

“We have extensive experience in designing and planning team stores to draw from, and that’s vital when it comes to designing the theme into the store,” said Murphy. “And that was the biggest challenge, applying hockey imagery to a retail setting.”

When Nancy Reagan and her managing board decided to remodel the gift shop at the Reagan Library, they borrowed a page from the democratic process. It would be an open competition; strongest candidate gets the job. Trio Display beat out several retail design firms to win the contract. “We thought it should reflect the Oval Office,” said Brian Jones, Trio Display Design Director, “and so did they.”

So happy was Mrs. Reagan and her designer, Peter Schifando, with Trio’s work, they signed the retail design firm on to tackle the planning of the Air Force One Pavilion adjacent to the library. Designing a retail space around President Reagan’s “Flying White House,” a Boeing 707, posed an interesting design challenge.

Jones and Jeff Grant, Trio’s President, started from scratch: a bare concrete pad and four walls. They worked with architect Ken Nichols to design the unique space. “We designed the place from top to bottom, incorporating an aeronautical theme.” Trio even had custom fixtures and custom furniture manufactured for the Pavilion. “We were up there on a weekly basis for nine months,” said Jones. The plane itself had to be taken apart and trucked up the road to the Simi Valley, California, location and reassembled on the spot.

President Bush opened the Air Force One Pavilion to much fanfare in October 2005. For TRIO it was a project that included “Great clients and great times.”

You recycle at home, take your own shopping bags to the grocery store, and maybe even ride a bike when you would rather drive. At night you sleep soundly wrapped in organic cotton sheets woven on a handloom at a Third World collective farm.

The dangerous side effects of our reliance on petro-energy, pesticides, and non-renewable resources are well documented. Runaway global warming could lead to the deaths of millions by starvation, malaria and a host of other tropical diseases. Pesticides poison groundwater while the rampant clear-cutting of forests tips the first domino in a complicated chain-reaction of environmental degradation only charted by a supercomputer.

The growing awareness of the fallout from environmental damage and pollution has made all of us “greener” consumers, but has it made you a greener retailer? “The small retailer is just starting to discover the benefits of going green,”� said Jeff Grant, president and CEO of Trio Display, an internet-based store design and fixture company. (www.triodisplay.com)

“The small retailer is just starting to discover the benefits of going green,” said Jeff Grant.

According to Jeff, there are many ways to integrate green into your store. You can start with your choice of flooring. PET polyester carpet tiles are made from recycled soda bottles and are very durable. Since re-carpeting your store can be prohibitively expensive, and incredibly wasteful (unworn carpet is thrown away along with the worn carpet), by using carpet tiles all you have to do is replace the tiles in the heavy traffic areas. You save resources and money.

Simple changes to lighting can engineer big savings and save our non-renewable resources. Over ninety percent of our nation’s electricity comes from coal, gas, oil, and nuclear plants. By switching to LED or ceramic metal halide bulbs for display lighting you will realize substantial savings over the long run. But direct energy usage isn’t the only way alternative lighting saves. Both LED and CMH burn much cooler than the standard halogen display lighting, which cuts down on air-conditioning costs. Even replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents helps the environment. Some estimate that replacing one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent will prevent a half-ton of carbon dioxide, a major culprit in global warming, from entering the environment over the bulb’s lifetime.

Energy and materials conservation in retail also pays marketing dividends. The eco-consumer—and everyone else, is starting realize the environmental consequences of the most seemingly benign purchase and the customer sees value in patronizing “green” businesses. If your business can make authentic claims as a green retailer you’ll have an advantage over your competitors.

As the relationship between our everyday actions and the health of this great big blue planet of ours becomes more and more apparent, the greening of retail only seems natural…and responsible.

Tips for the Green Retailer

1. Buy supplies made from recycled materials–bags, copy paper, etc.
2. Offer re-usable shopping bags with the store logo on them for a nominal cost or on high ticket purchases.
3. Offer a discount to shoppers who bring their own bags.
4. Recycle cardboard packaging.
5. Use dry popped corn as a packing material, and include with the shipped item a note saying it can be reused or spread out for birds to eat.
6. Always ask suppliers if they can use eco-friendly packaging. They probably are not yet, but if more people ask for it, they will see the benefit of offering it.
7. Use creative ideas for gift wrapping. Don’t automatically put a box into another box, and then wrap it. Use original packaging, use a gift bag, maybe reusable ones made from scrap fabrics.
8. Donate old and outdated merchandise to charities rather than destroying it.
9. Ask vendors what materials they will accept for recycling—hangers, crates, etc.
10. Try to offer as many “green”� versions of products as possible and make sure to tout this as a feature and benefit.
11. When remodeling ask your contractor to use as much green material as possible, flooring made from sustainable woods, materials made from recycled materials, etc.
12. Install a motion sensor on the light switch in your stockroom.
13. Talk your mall owner or management to buy a baler for cardboard and plastic. The trash can then be sold to pay the cost of the baler.

Stay current and consistent with your green “strategy.” As consumers further embrace the idea, your business and our environment will reap the benefits.

In our first installation of TRIO’s Retailer Video, Jeff speaks on the importance of budgeting for your new retail space. Regardless of whether you’re opening a single location or preparing to start a chain, this video is your key to planning for any store.

 Download Printable PDF

The following is a short list of many of the elements that should be considered in the opening of any new retail store. We’ve probably left some items out, so please e-mail us with suggestions we can pass along to our other retail customers.

Research
The decision to open a retail store is explored.
Research is initiated.

• Viability of the product
• Competition
• Location availability
• Rent vs. return
• Retail/business experience of the owners
• Risk vs. reward

A decision is reached to open a store.
Vendors are researched.
Locations are scouted.

• Onsite visits take place over several days and time periods.
• Discussions are held with existing merchants at the site.

Retail designers are researched.
General contractors are researched.
A budget is determined for design and construction.

The Decision Is Reached
A location is selected.
The lease negotiated and signed.

• Use an experienced lawyer and broker.

Design
Retail design begins.

• Preliminary layout drafted and approved.
• Renderings drafted and approved.
• Drawings handed off to architect for permit sets if required.
• Detail drawings drafted and approved.
• Price for fixtures obtained and reviewed.
• Design value engineered as required to fit budget.

Equipment and Signs
Fixtures ordered.
Front signs designed and ordered.
Graphics designed and ordered for wall display and way finding.

Construction
Construction commences when the permit is obtained.
Demolition commences.
Repairs due to demo are performed.
New walls are rough framed.

• Window display walls
• Office walls
• Back room partition wall
• Dressing rooms
• Bathrooms
• Any other required walls

Preliminary ceiling is laid in.

New electric and other cable is laid in.

• Service Panel Installation/Upgrade
• Convenience Receptacle Installation
• Lighting System Plan

Lighting (Bay, Fluor., Track) ordered.

• Lighting (Bay, Fluor., Track) installed.
• Emergency/Exit Lighting installed.

Security System
Computer System
Software installed.
Fax Unit/Line
Photo Copier
Network/Internet System
Telephone System/Lines
Video Feeds

New plumbing is installed.

• Bathrooms
• Additional sinks
• Waterfall plumbing, if any

Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning

• H.V.A.C. Units installed.
• H.V.A.C. Distribution installed.
• H.V.A.C. Thermostats/Protective Boxes
• H.V.A.C. Maintenance Contract

Sprinklers

• Sprinkler Evaluation/Permits
• Sprinkler Modifications Completed

Rough framing, electric, sprinkler, HVAC, and plumbing are inspected and approved by the city.

Walls are sheet rocked and inspected.
Final electric, sprinkler, HVAC and plumbing are inspected and approved by the city.
Ceiling panels are installed.
Wood trim and doors are installed.
Walls and windows are painted.

At this point the flooring may go down or it may wait until after the wall fixtures have been installed.

Flooring

• VCT or wood or tile ordered.
• VCT or wood or tile installed.
• Carpet ordered.
• Carpet installed.

Wall fixtures installed.

• Slatwall
• Other wall display systems
• Wall cabinets

Counters installed.

• Electrician may be required to hook up cases and computer connections.

Floor Fixtures

• Deliver and installed.

Music and video delivered and installed.

Security system installed.

Storage areas installed.

• Shelving/Wall storage
• Racks
• Storage Tubs/Bins
• Loading Dock Area
• Pallet Jack
• Hand Truck/Cart

Signage

• Exterior Signs delivered and installed.
• Interior Way finding/Depts. installed.

General Retail Needs

• Commercial Vacuum
• Fire Extinguishers/Cases
• Tools
• Forklift
• Pallet Jack /Hand Carts
• Ladders
• Office /Computer Supplies
• Cleaning Supplies
• Display Supplies
• Open Local Office Supply Account

Retail Supplies (Order early)

• Price Guns and Price Tags
• Hangers
• Steamers (clothing)
• Packaging
• Safe
• Time Clock/Cards

Point of Sale (P.O.S.)

• Determine system and order.
• P.O.S. installed.
• Software Install
• Order CC Terminal
• Install CC Terminal
• P.O.S. Training

Office

• Furniture
• Banking
• Petty Cash
• Permits/Business License/Cert. of Occupancy
• Insurance/Workers Comp.
• Janitorial
• Utilities Accounts

Inventory

• Merchandise Plan
• Orders to Vendors
• Inventory Received
• Store Merchandised/Layout
• Pricing
• Ongoing Purchase Orders
• Receiving and Storage

Staff

• Store Manager hired.
• Assistant Manager hired.
• Classified Ad for hourly
• Training/Management/P.O.S.
• Training/Hourly/P.O.S.
• Scheduling
• Uniforms/Name Tags
• Other Training

Operating Manuals

• Management
• Hourly
• Receiving and Storage
• Sales
• Safety
• Special Orders
• Employee Handbook
• Accounting Procedures
• Personnel
• Sales Reports

Marketing

• Advertising Calendar
• Grand Opening
• Direct Mail
• Frequent Shopper Program
• Brand Development/Collateral
• Marketing Plan/Strategy
• Community Marketing (Rinks, etc.)
• Mailing Lists
• Local Fundraisers
• Banners
• Newspaper Ads
• Local Radio/TV

Internet

• Site planned.
• Site built.
• Marketing planned.
• Key words selected.
• Site policies defined.
• Site manager selected and trained.
• Site employees selected and trained.
• Site mock sales
• Site live/Key words live

(The First in an Occasional Series… The second article, “Building Your Website,” can be found here.)

That the Web is reinventing retail is old news, even as the full impact has yet to be felt; that even the smallest retailer has to be in the game might not be.

With the rise of ecommerce, the retail landscape has been completely remade. While outsourcing and globalization were already commodifying just about every product and niche, the Web accelerated the process exponentially. The Web puts expert opinions, buyer’s reviews, and, on some cases, wholesale pricing at the consumer’s fingertips. Moreover, the virtual marketplace puts comparison shopping but a mouse-click away. As has been noted, somewhat ruefully, by retail experts everywhere, it’s now a consumer’s market. The consumer can now get what she wants, when she wants it, at a good price, and in a color other than black.

Lest you think that your niche is impervious to the Web-ification of retail, think again, this time of Zappos.com. Zappos.com was born in 1999, back when the thought of selling shoes online ran against conventional online market-think at the time. Sure, you could sell something that didn’t require sizing sight unseen like books, but shoes? No way. Folks needed to try shoes on, walk around a bit, and talk to a salesman. In 2005, Zappos.com saw gross sales of $370 million. The point is, no matter how obscure or particular your product or service is, you’re facing the digital competition.

To remain viable, any retailer, no matter how small, needs a website to go with the bricks-and-mortar enterprise. The scale depends on your needs. A more modest investment might be a simple branding web presence that runs under ten pages and includes information about your products or services and contact info. To save money, you can use one of the website templates supplied by your web-hosting company. (Look up “web-hosting” in a search engine.) Such a site, with various traffic analytics, will cost you under $20 a month to maintain. It is money well-spent, and the return on investment is orders of magnitude greater than traditional marketing channels. Exposure to your product now transcends physical geography.

At the other end of the scale is a robust, fully-enabled e-commerce site with an online catalog and a shopping cart. For such a website, the sky is the limit when it comes to budget. Customers can view and purchase product through a completely automated process. But this sells your product directly to millions of Web surfers worldwide 24/7. To make your online business really hum, you should develop a marketing campaign that includes banners ads and pay-per-click advertising. This isn’t inexpensive, but the pay-off is substantial. You’ll have to staff up to handle all the business.

Though e-commerce is only a fraction (some say 2%) of overall retail sales, it is safe to say that the future of retail is digital commerce and marketing. And if you’re not on the bandwagon, you’ll soon be left in the dust.