Store Analysis- Sydney

1. On Sunday, I went to downtown Kalamazoo and decided to look at the stores within the Radisson Hotel. Inside, located just off of the hotel lobby, is a men's and women's high fashion store called "Sydney." The store markets to both men and women (not children), and carries clothing such as jackets, sweaters, and office attire. They also sell shoes, in addition to accessories such as scarves, belts, and handbags. It is a welcoming store, using warm colors for the walls and floors.
2. Briefly describe the following:
a. From the outside, the store catches the eye. It is located right on the main lobby, on the end opposite the check-in desk. When you walk into the lobby, it is one of the first things you see. The floor of the hotel is a granite marble, and there is a built-in carpet directly in front of the store's entrance. All of the windows are made of glass (with a panel of gold metal across the bottom) so customers can see inside of the store. From the outside, you can walk past each of the windows and see all aspects of the store. Mannequins are neatly dressed in the windows with the newest fashions. There are also bright lights by where the glass walls are, in order to reflect light off of the floor and onto the mannequins. There is no exact door, because it appears to have just a break in the store's glass wall. I saw the employee close the store, and she slid the door from behind one of the windows. There was no handle on the outside, either.
b. Inside of "Sydney," there is music playing. The music matches that of the hotel almost, and plays with the mood of the store. Classical/smooth jazz music was playing softly over the loud speakers, but it was not overbearing in the way that some stores choose to use their music. I could still think clearly, it was not so loud that it required shouting at the salesperson, and you could think. The store does not attempt to make the customer feel distraught, especially since it seems to cater to an older, middle-aged, business-minded crowd. The music made the environment pleasant, and seemed to relax the customers, making them more comfortable with browsing and taking their time.
c. The merchandise was all elevated. The lowest shelf appeared to be no less than two feet off of the ground, so everything was displayed well. When you first walk in, there is a table with two levels, in addition to two mannequins. Every set-up in the store was relatively symmetrical, which physiologically triggers a relaxed response within people. In the middle of the store was a round, wood-looking cylinder that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, with a sofa wrapped around it. Also in a circle were different shelves which had shoes and accessories. This caught my attention immediately, and it's location in the middle of a bunch of merchandise drew my eyes to the products around it. There were some items on the walls, some in the middle of the floor on tables, and some on clothing racks. Everything was incredibly well organized, and nothing was cluttered.
d. The floors appeared to be a whitewashed maple, and were a beige color. They seemed waxy (but not slippery), and were somewhat shiny. The simplicity of the floor limited distraction, so the customers are almost cohersed into looking at the clothes. Also, they were cream colored, which warmed up the store and made it pleasant to be in. Pathways between the racks weren't too small, which made maneuvering easy without the chance of hitting something.
e. The sign on the outside of the store was very simple and easy to read. It used a chocolate brown color, which stood out against the wall. There was also another sign on the inside of the store just behind the cashier. It used the same, easy to read font, and the same color, which had a perfect contrast with the white wall.
f. The cashier area was pretty typical, and was located along the store's back wall. The store's name was just above the cashier's desk, with a large bouquet of red flowers underneath. There was a mannequin on each side as well. Accessories were located near the cashier, requiring one to pass through them when going to check out.
3. This business tries to project a casual, yet classy, image. The items were all things that could either be dressed up or dressed down, and everything was laid out in a way that allows the customer to browse their own way through. The lighting and colors used also projected a simple image, one that showcases the products.
4. Customers seemed to fall right into place with what the store's designers were trying to accomplish. Most were dressed in suits and nice outfits, and looked like they were either coming from or going to a business meeting. They were at ease with the atmosphere, and had no problem finding the items they wanted. The salespeople were not overbearing, but offered help and were readily available if you needed attention.
5. I found it interesting how the one area in the middle was set up like a circle around the wooden support and couch. Naturally, you gravitate toward that area, but in this store I found myself working my way around it, and then finishing there just before checking out. The clothing racks were all isnanely organized, and I didn't feel overwhelmed by the amount of merchandise out on the floor. Also, the limited availability of some of the items also hinted at reflective design, because it shows that the items in the store are somewhat exclusive.