Leaders of The New School | Platform LA

While in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago I soaked in a little more than sunny skies and heavy traffic. I spied Platform LA, an eye-catching retail concept situated in the often skipped over, but up-and-coming, Culver City. At first, the shopping district appears to take the form of a familiar outdoor mall but quickly revealed a refreshing twist – one-off retailers, restaurants, and art galleries for a destination-worthy, shopping experience. Platform LA serves up a branded shopping experience with a distinct “between the brands” expression that comes across through their tailored curation of retailers, a commitment to the arts, respite inspired landscaping, and an encouraging tone of voice that acts as a playful counter to their on-site wayfinding.

Music Hall Renovation

A local project in our own backyard, FRCH’s Hospitality and Retail-Mixed Use studios have teamed up on the renovation of Cincinnati’s iconic Music Hall. We were tasked with an overhaul to the environmental graphics and wayfinding strategies in addition to the FF&E packages for the Symphony Offices. As a treat for all our hard work, some lucky FRCH-ers were offered the chance at a behind-the-scenes tour of the renovation in-progress – before they close the doors until the grand re-opening in early October.

Welcome to Main & Vine

Earlier this month, Kroger opened their doors to Main & Vine – a brand new 27,000 SF, fresh‐format supermarket prototype in Gig Harbor, Washington. With the widely noted successes of recent ventures like their Roundy’s purchase and the billion-dollar-plus status of their Simple Truth brand, this new brand launch comes with much excitement and anticipation. FRCH partnered with the country’s largest supermarket chain step-by-step from concept to completion to bring the new natural grocery brand to life.

Whole Foods Market Dayton Grand Opening

Wednesday, our team took a quick road trip to the grand opening of the first Dayton-area Whole Foods Market. The new 45,000-square-foot store at Oak Creek Marketplace features local products (many made within 100 miles of the store), such as a new flavor of Jeni’s Ice Cream, and a collaboration beer with MadTree Brewing from Cincinnati offered at the in-store pub. Whole Foods Market goes beyond the typical grocery store experience with a coffee bar and growler fill station, fresh soup, salad and sandwich bars, and open service department layouts that bring the product closer to the customer, encouraging an interactive experience with both product and store employees.

A Joke to Remember

An ode to two of my favorite things, type and comedy, The Comedy Carpet in Blackpool, UK was designed by Gordon Young, inspired by the show posters used in promotions over the city’s 100 year history of comedic performances.

Pur & Simple Retail Signage

Canadian furniture retailer Maison Corbeil implements stunningly simple signage elements that make the retail experience at moments feel like a day at the spa.

Utilizing internal lighting and simple typography—the integrated signage solutions are highly impactful without  overwhelming the space—and remind me of what I love about the branding of another successful furniture retailer Crate & Barrel.

All images  paprika.com

Fishs Eddy

On a recent trip to New York, I was thrilled to revisit one of my favorite stores, Fishs Eddy. Located at 889 Broadway, the retailer originated as a small shop near Gramercy Park. While on a buying trip nearly twenty five years ago, the owners passed a small town in Upstate New York called Fishs Eddy, and borrowed the name for their store. Original merchandise included dishes from roadside diners, hotels, and country clubs. 

The visual presentation in the store is nothing short of inspiring. Tables, buckets, and bins are abundant with terrific household merchandise, with clever signs perched above. It’s impossible to leave the store without purchasing something! 

The store is fun, funky, and quirky, with a great selection of both basic and unique items. Check out their website, or better yet, their store.