Recently, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News Magazine, the leading publication for the industry, interviewed Trio Display President Jeff Grant. In the interview, Mr. Grant touched on key retailing concepts that transcend the niche. Here are select excerpts from the interview…

First off, can you tell who some of your clients within the bicycle industry are?
Jeff Grant: “Recent clients for remodels or new stores include the TREK store in Vista, California, Sand Canyon Bikes in Irvine, California, and Helen’s Bike’s in Santa Monica, California. We also provide fixtures and retail displays to a myriad of shops nationwide.”

Let’s talk specifically about the bicycle retailer. What’s the step-by-step process, from start to finish? How long does the process usually take?
“My initial goal is to determine exactly what the client is looking for. In many cases, the client hasn’t selected a site or negotiated the lease, and they may want some objective feedback regarding the terms of the lease as it relates to the design/construction element. Or they may not be completely comfortable with the location and want my input on the alternatives.”

“I typically spend considerable time discussing the overall look of the space. Most merchants have an idea of how they want the store to look and that may range from very contemporary to an Old School traditional look. The design is always buffered by the budget, so I work with clients to define just how much they want to spend on the overall build out and then break the costs down by segment, including:

• Front signage
• Window display
• Interior construction for storage rooms, rentals, repair, dressing rooms, etc.
• Other building systems including paint, HVAC, power, plumbing and sprinklers.
• Ceiling and lighting treatments.

“Then we discuss the fixtures and equipment. The bike retailers usually have a bike racking system in mind and I defer to them on that selection. I address the counter lay-out, wall display systems and floor fixtures. Additionally, we discuss what I refer to as the “fluff.” Videos, photo blow-ups, interior graphics, music, props, etc. The stuff that makes the store sing and differentiates it from the competition. Each of these items has a price tag, and we compare that to the client’s budget. Further, we may discuss leasing fixtures to free up cash and allow the design to have a little more latitude.

“Some of my clients are Mom and Pops with small stores and no desire for growth. Others are very aggressive and want to make sure the design of the shop keeps them competitive and provides design equity for lease leverage in negotiations with future landlords. Typically, the better the store looks the easier it is to get concessions from landlords in prospective new locations.

“In any event, once the design intent and available budget is determined we start our work. We call the process ‘iterative, collaborative design,’ which is a fancy way of saying we draw the layout of the shop, get feedback, refine the layout, get feedback, etc. “Once the floor plans are defined we produce renderings that indicate what the store will actually look like. When these are blessed we draft the working drawings for the counters, displays, etc. so the store can be bid. We also collaborate with the client on graphics, video, color, etc, so the overall look of the store gets detailed.

“Once our drawings are complete, we turn over any drawings that need engineering to the client’s architect to produce the permit set and then get bids on the fixtures and equipment. If the pricing comes in high, we ‘value engineer’ as required to bring the project in on-budget.

“I encourage those merchants who are better at building bikes then folding clothes to hire a ‘fluffer’ to come in and ‘set‘ the store the first time.”

“The build-out is when we field the most questions from the client and the contractor, but most jobs track relatively smoothly, and we are available as need be to follow up on details. Once the fixtures go in the challenge is merchandising, and most bike merchants just do an ‘adequate’ job with display. I encourage those merchants who are better at building bikes then folding clothes to hire a ‘fluffer’ to come in and ‘set‘ the store the first time. These display professionals can train the other associates about the display process and the need for consistency.

“Timing varies. Some design is done in a week. Some stretches for months. Typically the process is determined by the client’s ability to make a decision and the urgency of getting the shop open. Most often the design and architect’s process takes 30 days followed by the city’s permit ritual, then bidding and construction. Fixtures take four weeks to produce and a week to install; merchandising takes a week.”

How does working with a bicycle retailer differ from your clients in other industries? What are some of the unique challenges that present themselves?
“The biggest issue is that most bike shop owners are enthusiastic enthusiasts. They love bikes so they open a store to be close to their passion. They may not be trained retailers. The same phenomenon happens in skate, surf, snow, and many other sports-related industries. The merchants who don’t try to close the gap between retailer and sportsmen either fail or never realize their potential. The aggressive retailer will hire designers, consultants, and retail specialists to support their endeavor and to shorten their learning curve.”

Typically, how much do you charge bicycle retailers for your design services?
“Design fees range from $2500 - $25,000 depending on the scope of work, the budget, the branding and graphic element involved, etc. Small, low budget stores ($20,000 - $30,000) may come in around $3500 - $5000 for the design fee, plus any graphic design. Larger stores with larger budgets simply require more time and we charge accordingly.”

Without giving away your company’s biggest secrets, when you first visit these shops, what are some of the things you repeatedly see them doing wrong from a merchandising standpoint?
“The graphics are often old and worn, videos are not on wide screens and may or may not be relevant, lighting is abysmal, flooring is cheap and dirty, the counter area is packed with POP, the racks are some combination of vender fixtures and off the shelf imports. Usually, there is very little thought given to the merchandising of the shop and, in some cases, the merchandise selection. The owners focus on the bikes and everything else is an afterthought.”

“Many bike shops are packed with too many bikes. Our feeling is that sometimes less is more. Fewer bikes on display with more information on the sales floor about the bikes being presented might be another way to go.”

Do you apply things you learn from other industries and use them when you’re setting up a bike shop?
“In many cases, the display concepts we use in the Reagan Library Gift Shop are the same as those we use in Joe’s Bike Shop. Create a traffic pattern, attract customers to specific displays, make sure the lighting, fixtures, window displays, and fluff are up to competitive snuff, and that the store is fun, interesting, compelling, and customer friendly. The store can’t just look good. It has to sell goods.”

How do you go about continuing to monitor the shop’s progress? Do you check in on a regular basis? How does that work?
“We are available as need be during design, bidding, construction, and merchandising. Thereafter we tend to hear from our clients when they are ready for new projects, although we do check in periodically.”