“We’re excited to be working with someone new to retailing,” said Todd Murphy, TRIO Store Designer, “an entrepreneur.”� But it’s not just the owner who’s new to business, it’s the business itself.

Pregnancy and shopping are usually mutually exclusive, so why not build a retail store that recognizes and addresses the issue? Enter La Bella Belly Maternity Boutique, a combination maternity clothing store and prenatal massage shop opening in a Texas shopping village. Expectant mothers can shop “til they drop” into one of the two private massage rooms where licensed masseuses stand ready to ease sore backs and aching feet.

Such a bold new retail concept called for an equally innovative design. “Designing a hybrid retail/service environment presents a different set of planning demands,”� said Murphy. “We had to balance privacy issues with the open interaction typically required in a retail space.” These hybrids compose an increasing share of TRIO’s upcoming design-build projects.

“Naturally, we tried to design a harmonious environment conducive to the massage service. The colors were especially tricky,”� noted Murphy. TRIO themed the Dallas, Texas, store around urban, contemporary lifestyle architecture. Preliminary sketches of the 1500 square-foot space included faux vaulted ceilings, bare brick walls, and a custom waterfall. While the owner, Tamarra Billings, liked the look of custom fixtures, the cost proved problematic. TRIO found a work-around, however, and she was able to lease the fixtures instead of buying them, thereby retaining the atmosphere she wanted while keeping the bottom line within reason.

The store opens early this fall. (You can visit www.labellabellymaternity.com for more information.)