All the Store is a Stage: Hero Merchandising & Retail Theater

Retail Revolution Series: Article #2

 Jody Wasbro

 Jay Highland

Estimated Read Time: 4 Minutes

We're witnessing a global revolution as brands are reimagining physical spaces in order to build brand love. Leading brands recognize the evolving relationships with consumers and have shifted beyond just selling products. They're creating movement, fostering community, and immersing shoppers in new forms of brand storytelling and interaction – experiences that evoke true emotion and desire.

We'll explore this Retail Revolution in a series of articles each one focused on a different theme: Hero Merchandising, Department Store+, Sensory Immersion, and Cultural Capital. The next in our series is Hero Merchandising.

Spotlight: YOU and the Product!

Putting product front and center is nothing new. From the bygone days of the Old West general store to Carrie Bradshaw swooning over her Manolos ("Hello, Lover…"), retailers have always used product as bait. What's new, and what's perhaps remarkable in our new era of retail experience, is that the STORE itself is a changing tableau, and it's not just physical. Social, interactive, digital, even gaming… all these components drive desire in ways retailers can harness.

The real revolution happens when stores—luxury or not—make a visit to their door feel like an extension of the brand's soul. One of our favorite examples of late is Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL). Sounds like a geeky science floor in MIT's basement, right? Not so in their stores. The cult sneaker brand operates flagship destinations in fashion meccas like New York's SoHo and LA's The Grove, where APL's founders set out to make an experience as unique as their shoes. Think Kardashian more than Chuck Taylor, and you get the picture. And they know their shoppers well. When Vogue covered the SoHo store's opening, it specifically called out the "five special ‘vanity rooms' that are lined with different stones such as onyx; They're perfect for outfit selfies and Instagram photo ops." Obsession, check.

What's old is new again, and again, and again…

Resale at retail isn't breaking news. It's been trending for years thanks to The RealReal and any other resale platforms catering to luxury-curious, eco-conscious shoppers. What is news is that traditional retailers are joining the movement. Most notably the grand dame of London department stores, Selfridges. Through its ReSelfridges program, shoppers (and sellers) can visit Oxford Street not just for the current season ‘s newest looks, but also pre-loved gems from history, available right on the main floor alongside the brand shops' latest merch. A savvy move by the always-reinventing Selfridges to highlight a trend and glow up pieces that deserve a second life.

Skeptics may scoff and think, "Well, it's easy for luxury brands to take risks." True, but on the other end of the spectrum, one can look to fast-fashion icon Uniqlo for some excellent moments of hero merchandising. The fast-fashion giant uses its massive footprints to stage true visual theater—from runway-like entryways to bold product towers—transforming basics into something fresh, current, and desirable. Basics never looked so good.

Mass with Class

Remember the old retail adage: "Stack ‘em high and let ‘em fly"? Still true but certain brands are finding new ways to use volume as visual punch. A good friend and visual merchandising mentor once called it "Mass with Class," where retailers show off amazing amounts of product to make a statement. The best example of that recently is lifestyle and sneakerhead retailer Culture Kings, who has taken the "stack ‘em high" metaphor to new heights. With three-story walls of product featuring ball caps or shoes or hoodies, Culture Kings gives their style-obsessed shopper exactly what they're looking for: overwhelming choice. The stores are true temples to shopping, resembling overwhelming cathedrals more than mall stores.

We can't claim to have coined the term Hero Merchandising; like we said, it's been around as long as shopkeepers have been displaying their wares. But we do see a huge shift in the way relevant stores, and retailers who know their shoppers, are recreating their physical (and digital) destinations to focus the spotlight, and make the store, and the stage, as important as the product their pushing.

This is just the start. Dive into Create to Resonate and discover more bold ideas shaping the future of brand and consumer connection here.