Retail Design

A Cut Above

The Chopping Block is Chicago's largest recreational cooking school and gourmet retail store, and yet so much more to so many people. From cooking demonstrations for newbies flexing their cooking wings to hands-on cooking classes where good home cooks can advance from their comfort zone, The Chopping Block is out to get everyone cooking confidently. And for those who love…

Coloring Carefully

Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen on using color on website Henrik is the CEO and Founder of CleverBinder, a productivity service that connects retailers and their customers via truly innovative software solutions. He also owns ReisbyConsult, a consulting company for retailers on design, color palattes, innovation and new technology. “It takes a lot of effort, knowledge and…

Retail Design Trends of 2015

What are the current and emerging trends in retail design and what should you watch out for to ensure that you are ahead of the game? After all, one thing will never change, to be a top retailer you have to remain top of people’s minds, and that means continually offering a refreshing and exciting retail experience that is unique and arresting. Wolfgang Gruschwitz is a man…

The P.O.S.H. Approach

Is it an antique shop? No, it isn’t. Is it a tabletop shop? No, it’s not really that either. Is it a gift shop? Perish the thought (even though you’ll find a thousand and more gift ideas here). So what is P.O.S.H.? P.O.S.H. is a remarkable retail store that was born from a marriage of wanderlust and an idea that the shopping experience could be something different than it…

Design Stars – Winners of the 2014 gia Design Awards

Discover Design, the premier design destination at the International Home + Housewares Show, offers a collection of more than 100 companies showcasing the latest designs found in housewares. Exhibitors are based on recommendations from and approval by the retail and design community. Since 2011, exhibitors in Discover Design have been in contention for gia Global Innovation…

The Art and Heart of Branding – Adrienne Weiss

Adrienne Weiss and her team are legendary in branding in the U.S. and around the world. If you have eaten a burger or a donut, bought jeans or pumped your own gas, you have probably been up close and personal with brands they have helped create or energize. Weiss’s branding prowess started when she worked for Applause and helped build the “Smurfs” into a monster global brand in…

Inspiring the Industry – Adrienne Weiss

Adrienne Weiss is an inspiration to everyone she meets and especially those with whom she works. Her portfolio reads like a who’s who of the world’s top companies, and she’s worked with a huge diversity of industries such as food and beverage, retail, consumer products, convenience stores, real estate developments, sports stadiums and entertainment concepts. Her goal in…

Product Design – The Thrill of Owning an Original

As a store owner, it is a joy to see more people seeking out original product design. They want to know more about a product’s designer and where the product was made. Customers now want the story of the product’s origin and want products of higher value, not necessarily at a higher price. This new trend includes scrutinizing a product’s originality, material, manufacturing…

The Color Game

Michelle Hespe chats with Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director, about her view on the cycles of color and how to decide on what is best for your business. It was once commonly said that fashion, and thus trends and colors, had a 10-year cycle, but in today’s world, that’s really no longer the case. As a global consciousness of the environment and…