When it comes to wine sellers in Los Angeles, their cups runneth over. This L.A. Times article points out that even though business is booming, wine merchants still must do something to set themselves apart from the competition.

One is selling tastes of premium vino by the thimble-full. Another brings in fortunetellers during tastings. The smart retailers are selling wine as a lifestyle. The really smart ones are also establishing themselves as neighborhood hangouts.

The article also attests to the selling power of email and the Internet. A good email can help sell product in days instead of months. And a website can not only sell while you sleep, but also attract new customers who might have never found you in the brick-and-mortar world.

This article has great advice for any retailer. The best nugget of wisdom comes from the wine seller who wants her shop to be “a place where no one is ever made to feel stupid.”

I’ll drink to that. My firm designed Bella Vino in Virginia. Even though their wines appeal to an upscale clientele, we wanted the place to be warm and inviting for all. Because today’s wine novice could be tomorrow’s connoisseur.

The same guy who founded Atari and Chuck E. Cheese has come up with a theme restaurant for the entire family. Nolan Bushnell started and later sold Atari, but I didn’t know he was behind the kids’ pizza restaurant. His new uWink franchise blends his computer and restaurant experiences.

The menu is 180 degrees from Chuck E.’s, with pan-seared salmon sandwiches and pasta served up with wines and martinis, plus some yummy-sounding desserts. You order from a touch screen on your table that also lets you play computer games with your kids or by yourself.

Even if you can’t afford an electronic emporium like uWink, you could exploit some of his ideas. How about touch screens in high-traffic areas that suggest clothing outfits or color combinations? Or print daily “menus” of special sales and offers, and hand them to customers as they walk in the door.

Bushnell designed his new place with women in mind. It gives them the opportunity to spend quality time with their families, even if computer games are involved. As the website says, “It’s hip, and there’s an edge of technology, but it’s not overwhelming, more of a scent.”

It looks like Bushnell really did his homework before opening this new franchise operation. You, too, can entice your target customers with the right mix of mood and merchandise. All it takes is a little technology and a lot of knowing what your customers respond to.

You’ve probably heard about some renegade McDonald’s franchisees over the years. They didn’t change the menu to make headlines. But they did change the décor.

In San Diego alone, I visited or read about McDonald’s sites with themes such as ’50s diner, surf shack and upscale steakhouse. The décor didn’t necessarily reflect on the neighborhood, either. I wondered why the “surf shack” restaurant was so far inland. And the outdoor designs didn’t really give a clue to what was inside.

It looks like McDonald’s European franchisees are way ahead of their U.S. counterparts when it comes to store design. Comfortable chairs, low-hanging lampshades and complimentary iPods are among the chic elements that have won over a large number of customers.

Think about it: You want to keep your customers shopping or ordering. But do you really make them comfortable in doing so? Some well-placed chairs might make them sit and linger awhile. Cleaner-looking signage and labels can keep them interested and in a buying mood.

Euro Mac’s design changes started at the top. The Frenchman in charge of McD’s European operations had his own design studio before getting into the fast-food biz.

As the article points out, he’s doing more than just changing the restaurants’ looks. He’s redefining the brand while retaining local customs. That means making interior and exterior upgrades as well as improving the menu. His influence seems to be working, with sales growing faster in Europe than in the United States.

He’s also done something I feel every retailer should do: Create an employee manual that clearly spells out what’s expected of them and how to treat customers. Your employees are as important as anything else in defining your brand, whether you have one store or dozens.

You’re most likely the person at the top of the food chain for your retail outlets. If they could use a makeover, think about what McDonald’s is doing in Europe. They’re a global firm, but in Europe they’re thinking and acting locally.

Breakfast porridge, anyone?

Looks like the days of grubby, grimy tire-dealer showrooms might be coming to an end. At least two tire dealers are making that happen, according to an article in Modern Tire Dealer.

I love what these guys did. One installed a 46-inch flat-screen TV and a Wi-Fi counter in his customer lounge. The other put in a kids’ play area complete with fully stocked toy box to make moms feel more at ease.

Both dealers completely modernized their customer areas to make a normally unpleasant task–buying tires, accessories and services–more of a pleasant retail experience. Both are independent operators, so there was no corporate bureaucracy to overcome when it came to design issues.

A chain franchise tire dealer I went to not long ago seemed to be moving in the same direction. The customer waiting area was clean enough and had comfortable seats. But newspapers and old magazines were all over the place. The TV was definitely not flat screen, and reception was lousy thanks to the rabbit-ear antenna. The windows were dirty (unlike those of a dealer in the article, who makes sure his are cleaned regularly,) which added to the grime factor. I’ll be looking for a more pleasant place to buy tires next time.

Even if you’re not in the tire or automotive business, I suggest you read the article for some great retail advice. As one tire dealer says, “Retailers have to do something to stand out.” And he’s not just full of hot air.

If you like good design, you should know about DESIGN 21: Social Design Network. It’s a new online community dedicated to addressing global social concerns.

“But Jeff, I have enough trouble keeping my own store’s design fresh and inviting,” I hear you say. Well, if you join DESIGN 21 for free, you can learn about design through its articles and member forums.

DESIGN 21 isn’t strictly for retailers like you and me, though. It started in 1995 as the International Design Award to promote a spirit of understanding and sharing among young creators of different cultures.

DESIGN 21 takes in the big picture, discussing how design affects people around the world. It even has a relationship with UNESCO, which is sponsoring a contest open to all kinds of designers. You could win cash prizes and recognition if you:

• Design an awareness campaign to educate the public on the issue of global warming.
• Design an object that encourages children to cultivate their own imagination and creativity.
• Design a temporary emergency shelter for deployment in a natural disaster.

You can get all the contest details by visiting DESIGN 21 online. If you really want to think outside the box–or at least outside your store–think about entering the contest. At the very least, it will challenge you to think of how design affects the world beyond your front door.

I’m always interested in success stories. And I’m delighted when someone I know has one to tell.

I recently visited chiropractor David Klein. We’ve been in business in the same neighborhood for years but only had a nodding acquaintance. Turns out he’s a Web-savvy marketer. He’s been very low-key about it, relying on word of mouth, his San Diego Chiropractic website and pay-per-click to attract patients. Type in “La Jolla chiropractor” on Google or Yahoo and you’ll see his practice consistently pop up at or near the top of the sponsored and organic results.

David really does make his patients his first priority. His site even tells you how to reach him in an emergency if you are in San Diego. He encourages prospective patients to email their questions to him. (Try that with your M.D.) He schedules consultations for new patients in the same time block every day, then treats existing patients in the next time block.

He’s so concerned about his office being a warm, inviting place, he’s held back on marketing any products to patients–even though 40 to 50 of them pass through his lobby every day. He sells special pillows, nasal aids and other items to patients who need them.

I suggested a way he can offer those products to everyone who comes through the lobby: set up a computer kiosk that offers them exclusively. Patients could browse the PC in the kiosk at their leisure, without feeling pressured (no pun intended) into buying.

David also asked for a few ideas on how to increase customer comfort levels. I suggested he conceal rows of patient files by placing them in closed cabinets to reduce the look of clutter. Also, he could add cushions to the rather hard waiting-room chairs, and replace a water-stained ceiling vent that detracts from the warm feeling the office otherwise conveys.

David and his staff have been in the space so long, it’s hard for them to step back and notice any elements that upset the balance in this otherwise very soothing office. Sometimes it helps to ask an objective designer type to give an opinion.

I also told David to emphasize the three main traits that set him apart from the competition:

- Only the second chiropractor in the world to teach chiropractic at a medical school (UC San Diego)

- Nearly 100% success rate treating neurological conditions

- Only practice in the county with a $28,000 computerized, gentle adjusting machine

All three are mentioned on his site and in printed materials in the lobby. But you have to strain to see them. And strain, as anyone who visits a chiropractor knows, is not a good thing.

David has a good thing going. The next time I need help with my occasionally aching back, I’ll give him a call.

I met with Summit Electric Supply last week at their headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, followed by a visit to one of their stores in Phoenix, Arizona. Summit is a full-service wholesale distributor of a full range of electrical material including distribution equipment, motor controls, lamps and lighting, conduit and fittings, wire and cable, tools, automation, datacom and more.

They have 20 locations and plan to add more. Summit management wants their stores to be more than just a standard contractors’ supply house and they’re already doing a good job of it. The upgrades we’ll suggest include new colors, floor finishes, ceiling treatments, lighting, counter layout, fixtures, video and graphics.

What Summit already brings to their stores is a commitment to customer comfort that electrified me (sorry, couldn’t resist). The new stores will feature a business lounge with free Wi-Fi, phones, fax, copy machine and comfortable seating. In addition, Summit provides free popcorn, coffee, tea, soft drinks and ice by the bucket-load.

Not only do their customers enjoy the business center as a usable attraction, but the counter area also has become a mini Starbucks with “electricians” gathering each morning to share experiences. What a great way to build community and brand loyalty.

Summit really makes their customers feel at home. I challenge you to come up with ways of doing the same in your retail outlet. Let me know you what you’re doing to keep your clientele inside the front door. I’ll share your great ideas in upcoming blogs.

By now your business probably has a website with all the usual stuff: photos of your store and products, a list of services, online ordering capability, contact information, etc.

But it probably lacks the one item that could do you the most good: a review section. As this article in Business Week points out, letting your customers honestly critique your business can be a good thing.

If you use eBay at all, you know how important reviews are, whether you’re buying or selling. If you get slammed on eBay, you can take steps to prevent it from happening again. If you get lots of praise, it tells everyone that doing business with you is a positive experience.

As the Business Week story emphasizes, “…customers, especially the younger and more Net-savvy, want to be heard, and they also want to hear what others like them think.” Even big chains like Macy’s are getting into the act, with the CEO frequently checking the 350 or more reviews the site receives daily.

Feedback like this is priceless. In this age of online social networking, the article says, “…63% of shoppers are more likely to purchase from a site if it has ratings and reviews.”

OK, I admit our site doesn’t have a review section yet. But we’re working on it. In the meantime, do what it says below and contact me. I’m listening to my clientele. You should be, too.

To read the Los Angeles Times article “Bookshops’ latest sad plot twist,” you’d think it’s the final chapter for neighborhood bookstores (Feb. 2, free registration may be required).

It isn’t until you get to the end of the article that you learn the new owner of a landmark San Francisco bookstore knows how to resuscitate it. He’s turning it into a resource for the neighborhood, with a rejuvenated website, more in-store events and a 21st century outlook to make the place “inescapable and irresistible.”

I’m a voracious book reader. I buy a lot of books online. But I love shopping at independent bookstores like Upstart Crow in San Diego, with its cozy nooks, pastry/coffee bar and great bayside location; funky Acres of Books in Long Beach, Calif., stacked so high with used books you wonder why the ancient shelves don’t topple under the weight; and Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, a warm, inviting place downtown with wood floors, multiple levels and, of course, the obligatory coffee shop. Elliott Bay even has a web page devoted to the differences between themselves and the big guys.

Places like these compete against the Barnes & Nobles and Borders of the world by sticking to the formula the San Francisco owner embraces. They’re not corporate cookie-cutter stores and survive through personalized service, community involvement, good selection and distinct design. Most of them have websites, too, which helps them stay in touch with customers and vice versa.

The article quotes the editor of Wired magazine: “Since bookstores can’t compete on choice, many once-cherished stores are going to be road kill.” By bringing their shops into the 21st century, I hope savvy bookstore owners will prove them wrong.

Hard to believe, but I got great service on a Saturday afternoon in a Home Depot. Well, actually, in a Home Depot EXPO Design Center. Spending a half-hour in there was a lesson in how good, consistent employee training pays off, along with intelligent store design.

My wife and I were looking for some kitchen upgrades. But we browsed the wide aisles first, where top-selling merchandise was at eye level and all prices clearly visible. Not a single sales associate failed to stop and ask if we needed any help. Those who did help us were either very knowledgeable about particular products or, if they weren’t, immediately went to find someone who could answer our questions.

And none of this “How are you guys today?” or “Have a great afternoon” chatter. We were treated seriously. The staff really listened. They explained their products and services with calm professionalism. It just felt good to be in their presence.

We left with their business cards, samples of counter tiles and wood flooring, and sales sheets that clearly outline what we can expect from EXPO installers. We’ll be back for sure.

Funny how a division of Home Depot–a chain not usually renowned for great service–takes a completely different approach in their EXPO stores. Sure, the EXPO customers aren’t necessarily like the do-it-yourselfers Home Depot caters to.

Maybe Home Depot should let some employees observe their EXPO counterparts for a day or two to see what they can learn. Maybe you and your employees should visit an EXPO store, too. You’ll get a good lesson in customer relations, all for free.