Exit 9 Gift Emporium - Brooklyn, NY

Something Special - Vincennes, IN

More doors in store: Something Special of Vincennes, IN, uses an old door as part of a 2-sided display featuring  colorful spring merchandise. Mounted atop a table, it not only serves as a divider, it provides height to the display and the “windows” keep it from obstructing the view.

Old doors get new life at Revolution Shop and A Details Shop, pictured above. In Charlotte, NC, Revolution Shop mounted hangrail between four weathered doors turning them into endposts  for clothing display. A Details Shop in Alpharetta, GA,  used them instead of drywall to form several fitting rooms in their store.

Shoefly and Sox - Ukiah, CA

At Shoefly & Sox  in Ukiah,CA, they added mirrors to the original panels of the door and placed it between several shoe shelves. 

Trinket - Burlington, VT

When Rachel of Trinket in Burlington, VT, saw the last blog about the removable chalkboard stickers, she decided to share her chalkboard wall with Retail Details. Against the black chalkboard paint, the white shadowbox frames and accents really stand out. Messages are easily changed and allow for an interesting way to feature items, as the “Hydrate in Style” picture shows.

In Play Showroom, Los Angeles Market Center

Showrooms at wholesale markets are another resource for display ideas. At the In Play Showroom in the Los Angeles Market Center, they have a PEACE themed window created with kids clothing and accessories that they represent.  Chances are you have your camera with you at market, so be sure to look for display ideas while you are searching for the perfect products for your stores.

To duplicate something similar in your shop, take notice of any themes – regardless of department or category. For instance, a music theme, “suns” for summer or ”flags” for 4th of July. Theme displays can also be built around events.

At Hi Ho Home Market, in Gardiner, NY, Heidi has a “Honey of a Weekend” event in February. She creates theme displays of bees and honey products featuring the honey from a local honey supplier, Widmark Farms. This year, she had a special “prop” – a honey cake (note the chocolate bees:-)  made by The Village Tearoom and Bake Shop, another business in the Hudson Valley. By the way, the black/white checked base under the cake is the top to a hat box, placed over a pedestal cake plate. Love it!

Hi Ho Home Market - Gardiner, NY

Cupcake Baby Boutique - Santa Rosa, CA

Speaking of props, I like when seasonal props provide more than just a decorative purpose. The wheelbarrow in this bunny display at Cupcake of Santa Rosa, CA, holds a nice amount of product. Also of note in this picture, is the quilt rack that appears to be modified to display tutus. I suspect it is a very versatile display piece.

You may want to PRINT THIS LIST: door knobs, maps, drawer pulls, record albums, trophies and suitcases. If you take this list with you when you shop for props, you should have a very productive shopping trip at garage sales, tag sales and thrift stores. Of course, you can buy these products new, but that’s not as inspiring. Here are some examples of what you can do with the items on your shopping list…

Manik shop in Magnolia, AR, has knobs and drawer pulls mounted on boards, painted the same color as the wall. Shown here, they are displaying hats and scarves. I’m sure they work equally well for jewelry, handbags and belts.

CoCo An Experience - Monclair, NJ

If you look closely at the large peace sign in this window at CoCo An Experience,  Inc. in Montclair, NJ, you may notice that it is covered with maps.  Is it ironically peace on earth or earth on peace?

Record albums can be hung on walls, window backdrops or suspended with clear fishing line. Shown here, Civil Disobedience Boutique, in San Diego, CA, uses the records and the album jackets to cover a simple plywood backdrop.

Scarlett, formerly in Montreal, QC, suspended their record albums, which created some movement in the display window.

Trophies. Get some spray paint and use your imagination. Here’s a hint for inspiration.

Romualdo - Madeira, OH

I saved, for last, the most common, versatile and effective display prop of all time, suitcases. I devote the rest of  this blog to showcasing different ways of using suitcases for many types or products in all types of stores. Romualdo, a men’s store in Madeira, OH, uses a trunk as the base of one display and they stack briefcases amongst product on their shelves.

Street Chic Boutique in Northbrook, IL, stacked colorful hat box suitcases in their window and perched a seated mannequin on top. Of note is how this display looks good from the back as well. That can be a challenge with store windows.

Ziezo - St. Louis, MO

Cases in varying shapes and sizes add nicely to the vintage props in this display at Ziezo in St. Louis, MO.

In that same vein, Curtsy Bella in Seattle, WA created a multi-purpose display out of a steamer trunk and Solid Gold Boutique of Austin, TX, uses a train case to contain feathered headbands – a tricky item to display.

Baby toys sit sweetly in these small cases at Honey-Bunch in Toronto, Canada. I can safely say that the display bowl in this picture is also vintage because I know that Nicole loves such things in her lovely shop.

With sand as a stabilizer, Bella Nola, in New Orleans, LA, uses a suitcase as a display for coasters and tiles. Geaux suitcase!

In St. Louis, MO, Rue Lafayette stacks boxes of tea in a vintage case which brings together the gift shop and cafe parts of the shop.

Edit Shoppe in Alberta, Canada, uses a “going to grandmas” sized case to contain a mix of colorful socks.

Please share the Retail Details blog with your staff and colleagues. If you have unique displays to submit, sent to: Becky(at)SwirlMarketing.com   Join the RETAIL DETAILS Facebook page and be notified first when new blog posts are uploaded. Click “comments” below to leave a blog message. Stay display inspired!

~Becky