Archive for the ‘Jewelry Display’ Category

Retail Details celebrates display props. Cheers!

Monday, October 25th, 2010

NOTE: Click here or go to “Display Contest” under PAGES in the sidebar of this blog  to read about the Retail Details Store Display Contest. We are still accepting entries through the end of November.

Loopy Mango, Retail Details blog, store display, display propsThere’s an eclectic little shop on Grand Street in New York City and they are quite well known for their interesting store display props. Loopy Mango  is a lifestyle and accessories boutique in SoHo which features a curated collection and ranges from designer and vintage clothing, shoes and jewelry to antiques, home goods and furniture. Here’s a picture of one of their recent store windows (below) that confirms my decision to bump this shop up on my “must see” list for my next visit to the city. The motorcycle is fun, but I love the irony of the bunny in the basket and the bird (pillow) in the cage. I can’t wait to visit the nearly 2000 square feet of pure loopiness.

Loopy Mango, Retail Details blog, 10-25-10

If you read this blog regularly, you know that I have been on a quest to visit shopping areas that consist of indy-owned businesses. I found such an area in Dallas and it’s called the Bishop Arts District. Located just a few miles from downtown, the area consists of several blocks, which the nearly 50 local merchants call “the BAD”. Since I am always on the lookout for unique displays, I would be remiss not to mention one of the stores I visited there, whose displays were outstanding: 

Indigo 1745, Retail Details blog, 10-25-10Indigo 1745 is a men’s and women’s boutique, specializing in premium denim and sportswear. Owner, Denise Manoy credits her husband with most of the visual merchandising ideas and creations, including the store name letters on the wall, as pictured here. If you look closely, the letters are made from frames, tiles, wood and foam core and adorned with textures of lace, paint and denim.

Poppy Arts, Retail Details blog, 10-25-10Is your packaging part of your holiday visual merchandising plan? Poppy Arts, in Columbia, MO, used their boxes as part of this window display. They added black ribbons and red poppies, along with their logo sticker on plain kraft boxes. The box bottoms serve as jewelry displays. Poppy began as a small, specialty art gallery and now represents over 200 artists.  

Rebekah Brooks store, Retail Details blog 10-25-10Red birds and holly berries, with a little bit of greenery, creates a holiday feel on these display shelves at the Rebekah Brooks  retail store in Northampton, MA. The shop sells handcrafted jewelry made in their studio in Western Massachusetts and they also sell unique gifts. Shown here are before and after pictures to exhibit how effective a few small, simple props can be.

NEWS: It is with great excitement that I announce that I have taken a job as a prop shopper for a new company called The Display Lab, opening soon. Nothing will change here at the Retail Details blog. I’ll still be writing, editing and choosing the pictures for Retail Details. I will continue to handle most of the social media and correspondence, but I will have help with some marketing and blog advertisers (two of the top sidebar ad spots are available, by the way). 

Join the visual merchandising conversations with the Retail Details blog on Facebook and Twitter, too.

You can submit your store display pictures to be considered for blog inclusion or email me at SwirlMarketing@Comcast.net

Stay display inspired!

Retail Details blog, Becky Tyre, Swirl Marketing~Becky

STORE DISPLAYS: Male Mannequin Favorites, Bracelet Displays, Merchandising Clear Glass Items, and A Big Dose of PINK

Friday, October 8th, 2010

NOTE: Click “Display Contest” under PAGES in the sidebar of this blog (on the right, over there>>>) to read about the Retail Details Store Display Contest and how to enter.

Retail Details, Store displays blog, Visual merchandising, My Suit
MY SUIT – New York, NY

In a made-to-measure men’s suit store, you expect to choose between single or double breasted, two buttons or three, pleated or flat front, buttons or cuff-links,  but at My Suit in New York City, you can choose the vest as shown on the orange or on the blue mannequin. WHAT? (insert sound effect *here* tires screeching to a halt). Brightly colored mannequins in a men’s tailor shop? Absolutely, if done correctly. The poses are the key to this mannequin success story at My Suit.  Maybe the Yankee’s won or the DOW is up, but these mannequins are pumped up and ready to celebrate amidst a world of navy, black and gray. It’s refreshing to see a modern store design in this fashion genre. Hat tip to the store designers and visual merchandisers! (Cue the theme from Rocky *here*).

Home decor stores, florists and gift shops struggle with clear glass containers and how to display them. A few ideas to consider:

2000 A.D. Concepts in Floral Art (left) in Atlanta, GA and The Miller House (right) in Stephens City, VA

Flowers, fruits and vegetables bring life to clear glass vases, bowls, cylinders, pitchers and other glass vessels whether they are part of your product mix or used as display props to enhance other merchandise. With apologies, in advance, to my friend J M.H. Schwanke over at UBloom, you can use fresh or faux fruit, flowers & veggies. Use fresh if you are able to monitor and change the display frequently or you can use paraffin oil to preserve the items if you are displaying them submerged. Another idea is to use obviously “fake” products like sparkly glass apples or cloth tomatoes. I am currently researching faux food display prop sources for the guys at The Display Lab. If you know of any good sources, please email me the link or contact info. Thanks!

Retail Details - At Mary's - Store display blog, October 2010

Which way is up? I look through a lot of pictures every week. You are all so kind to send them via email or link me to your facebook albums. I get so excited when I see the same prop in various settings and configurations. In this case, At Mary’s, a “much-more-than-just-gifts” shop in Bardstown, KY, features china inside a crown – or is it a cake plate? In good visual merchandising, there are no labels. Intended uses can be ignored. Be creative. Disregard “this side up” stickers.

Retail Details - Unique Expressions - Store display blog, October 2010 Fence posts, cut in various lengths make up these  jewelry displays at UniquExpressions in Pine Mountain, GA. It’s such a simple way to create texture and height in a display and I like that they are used vertically and horizontally. I especially appreciate the way the watch bands are featured more prominently as they are positioned around the posts.

Retail Details - Brussels Sprouts - Store display blog, October 2010
Brussels Sprouts – Newton, MA

Three mannequin forms. Three clothing colors. It’s not a display rule, but it is an effective technique as shown at Brussels Sprouts Kids in Newton, MA. Actually, there are numerous things “done right” in this display. Note that the are skirts are placed on both sides with pants in the middle. Note that the center form is taller. Note how the outerwear, both in black, bookends the display story.

Retail Details, Store displays blog, Visual merchandising, Painted Door

The Painted Door in Oklahoma City shows a little whimsy in this display of bracelets and watches. Besides, why display on two arms, when you can use eight?  This is a fun example of a full-round display, as well.

Retail Details - Amberella - Store display blog

 In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’ve been waiting to share Amberella with my blog readers. Amberella Gallery and Boutique  in Philadelphia, PA takes their pink so seriously that they painted ALL their display items – furniture, fixtures, frames, forms and even the floor - PINK. Perhaps it’s not the right shade for everyone, but it certainly has impact. Gotta love a shop with personality!

As always, thanks for taking the time to read the Retail Details blog. I hope you will consider entering the current Retail Details New Year Store Display Contest  sponsored by Midwest CBK, Gully’s Discount Store Fixtures, Country Business Magazine, and The Display Lab. Finalists will be provided with props to keep and check out the great prizes, too.

Until next time… stay display inspired!

Retail Details blog, Becky Tyre, Swirl Marketing

 ~Becky

Cheese Puffs, July 4th and jewelry displays

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

The Retail Details blog celebrates unique store displays and visual merchandising examples. It is written for retailers, showrooms and merchandisers to inspire effective store displays, better utilize display space and increase sales.

Retail Details blog, 4th of July displayNeed last-minute 4th of July display ideas?

Homespun Cottage, Retail Details blog, 4th of July display

Homespun Cottage - Austin, TX

Homespun Cottage is a quaint little shop in Austin, TX. They offer a mixture of traditional, cottage and primitive furnishings and home decor items. In this 4th of July display, they placed dalmations and a picket fence to add more white contrast to the red, white and blue flag display table. I’m not sure if the flag table runner is a prop or for sale (or both), but it is a nice piece to have for holiday displays and year-round for Americana merchandise.

Salisbury Gifts, Retail Details blog, 4th of July display

Salisbury Gifts - Easton, MD

Salisbury Gifts in Easton, MD, features a blue and white, crab-themed stoneware set by adding touches of red and blue using a few carefully placed candles and a red based sailboat prop.

Dedricks Pharmacy and Gifts, Retail Details blog, 4th of July display

Dedricks Pharmacy and Gifts - New Paltz, NY

Dedricks Pharmacy and Gifts invites you to step inside their gift area stocked with jewelry, housewares, collectibles, gourmet products and candles. In this 4th of July display, it’s a country theme, complete with country colored stars and a teddy bear. Happy Independence Day!

Global Views Showroom, Retail Details blog, store display

Global Views Showroom

As retailers enter the trade show season, I continue to remind you that some of the best visual merchandising ideas can be spotted at the wholesale showrooms during markets. I took this one from my collection of “wow” displays. To spotlight clear glass domes, the Global Views Showroom merchandisers chose to fill them with cheese puffs. This complemented their theme of orange home decor. I plan to visit their showroom in Dallas at the Total Home and Gift Show next week. I can’t wait to see their use of color for this season’s displays. And perhaps, have a snack ;-)

Busy B, Retail Details blog, mosaic fruit

Busy B - LaGrande, TX

The Busy B in La Grange, TX, sells mosaic fruit and vegetables. The colorful glass tomatoes, oranges, peppers, lemons, pears and eggplants  are lovely, but it’s the display that sets these items apart from the other gifts, home accents and garden decor in the shop. Made to look like a farmers market stand, the items are placed in wooden boxes with straw. A crate box lid turns into a sign and they added a farmer tray to complete the scene.

Parkleigh, Retail Details blog, store display

Parkleigh - Rochester, NY

Parkleigh in Rochester, NY, is one of the oldest sellers of the Mackenzie-Childs whimsical glassware and home accessories line. In this store display, they suspended a tilted floral pitcher above a table setting and used ribbons to represent the liquid pouring from the spout. This is an excellent example of how to get your customers’ attention, drawing them to a specific area of your store.

Hi Ho Home, Retail Details blog, jewelry display

Hi Ho Home - Hudson Valley, NY

Awaiting delivery of some new jewelry, Heidi at Hi Ho Home decided to prepare an old china cabinet to be her jewelry display. In keeping with her store theme of mixing old and new, she used old bottles, tattered books and stark white busts to hang the new jewels on. She placed them precisely on each shelf of the cabinet. I frequently check the blog, website and facebook albums for Hi Ho Home, as she creates many inspiring displays within the numerous rooms of this two-story home market and antique center in Gardiner, NY.

Collier West, Retail Details blog, jewelry display

Collier West - Columbus, OH

Another store that mixes old and new, is Collier West in Columbus, OH. Their product mix includes many one of a kind items that are produced by artisans locally and from around the globe. Chandelier earrings, handcrafted in Brazil, are displayed on large pricing tickets. Displayed simply this way, the earrings stand out and the product display fits nicely with the branding of the shop.

Sirens & Sailors, Retail Details blog, jewelry display

Sirens & Sailors - Echo Park, CA

Glasses and vases are often used for jewelry displays. Pictured here, you see a colored wine glass displaying a single pair of earrings at Sirens and Sailors in Echo Park, CA.  The earrings are neutral in color, so they stand out against the bold color of the glass. They would otherwise be difficult to display effectively.

Sassy Peacock, Retail Details blog, jewelry display

Sassy Peacock - Toronto

Sassy Peacock in Toronto uses a clear, brandy snifter to merchandise some pendants on a glass shelf in their store. Behind the glass, a purple multi-cylinder vase, provides a nice contrast for the matching earrings.

3 Wishes Cards and Gifts, Retail Details blog, jewelry display

3 Wishes Cards and Gifts - Alameda, CA

3 Wishes Cards and Gifts in Alameda, CA, drapes their Scrabble pendant necklaces from a low, round, green vase. The fact that the vase is rounded, emphasizes that the pendants are hung on ball chains. The placement of a Scrabble letter rack in front, provides information and interest, as the customers can clearly see that the pendants are made from the game pieces.

Next week, I will be covering the Dallas Total Home & Gift show for the Retail Details blog. I will also have the pleasure of joining several retailers to assist them in purchasing props and displays for their stores. I should have lots to share in the next few blogs. I truly have the best job in the world!

You can submit your store display pictures for blog consideration to the email address below. Stay display inspired!

Retail Details blog, Becky Tyre, Swirl Marketing~Becky

Swirlmarketing@comcast.net

Store display ideas and Visual Merchandising trends

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Bikes. Trikes. Full size or miniature – vintage or new - bicycles make great display props.

Crush Boutique bicycle display - Retail Details blog

Crush Boutique - Boston, MA

Inspiring a store revamp, this antiqued iron bicycle is quite a statement piece at the Beacon Hill area shop, Crush Boutique, in Boston, Mass. Shown here, sporting scarves, sweaters and shoes, a bicycle can fit in as a display piece in most any type of retail environment. One of my favorites was suspended from the ceiling in a men’s department (click here).

Wandering Wardrobe - Retail Details blog

The Wandering Wardrobe - Springville, UT

Trellis, arbors, planters and other such garden display elements serve nicely as spring store displays.  At the Wandering Wardrobe in Springville, Utah, they use a life-size metal bike prop, shown here in an outdoor display at their shop. These metal display pieces are two sided and usually have a basket area, ideal for holding products. They can be easily spray painted, as well.

Green Oaks Antiques - Retail Details blogI found several garden art display ideas where I found this trike at Green Oaks Antiques in Rochester, Indiana.

Seraphim Kids - Retail Details blogI don’t think this piece is from a garden department, but this baby bootie and headband display at Seraphim Kids in Troy, Alabama, reminds me of the tomato cages frequently used as Christmas tree displays. The wire is the perfect diameter for the small hooks. I’ve seen a similar piece as a displayer of men’s ties. It makes a full-round display and adds height to a countertop or table merchandising story.

Mixing old and new. 

Santoro and Co., Bridgeton, NJ, Retail Details blog

Santoro and Company - Bridgeton, NJ

Santoro & Co. in Bridgeton, NJ, merges antiques, gifts and home decor. Shown here, you can see how well they incorporate the popular Ugly Dolls as part of their merchandise mix. I especially like the doll that is hanging from the chandelier, watching over the “uglyverse”, which is a universe where ugly means unique and special. I wonder what kind of tea you serve at an Ugly Doll tea party.

Jewelry is frequently displayed in glass-front showcases with adjustable glass shelves, like the one shown below.  This can be challenging due to height limitations.

Poppy and Stella, Retail Details blog

Poppy and Stella - Baltimore, MD

Poppy and Stella in Baltimore, Maryland, creates visual interest by using picture frames and old books as anchors for the necklaces in their glass case. Clear acrylic and white earring stands balance the display without creating a cluttered look. More jewelry displays:

Instant Karma Boutique - Retail Details blog

Instant Karma Boutique - Cave Creek, Arizona

Instant Karma in Cave Creek, AZ, mixes metallics with wood in this jewelry display that sits atop a lovely old trunk.

Hands made of metal and wood are a recurring theme in jewelry displays of late. Shown here is a ring

Apple Tree Gifts, Retail Details blog

Apple Tree Gifts - Carbondale, IL

display from Apple Tree Gifts in Carbondale, IL and a wall hand-hook from the Pink Mascara Accessory Store in Halifax, NS.

Pink Mascara, Retail Details blog

Pink Mascara, Halifax, NS

Previous blog post shows my favorite hand hooks ever, click here.

Sometimes I stumble on clever ways that retailers have managed to feature hard-to-display items. Here are a few ideas to share:

Baglady Boutique, Retail Details blog

Baglady Boutique - Springfield, MO

The Baglady Boutique in Springfield, MO, uses smiley face balloons to display stretch cloth baby head bands.

I found this wetsuit cap display and I think it could be used for a  hat or head band display. It is simply a clear head form that is filled with shredded color magazine pages.

Retail Details blogChicky Bella in Chandler, Arizona, took a divider screen that would normally be used to show photos and filled each frame with paper or cloth and a vertical ribbon. The ribbon holds hair bows and the frames spin for two-sided display.

Chicky Bella, Chandler, Retail Details blog
Chicky Bella, Chandler, AZ

Upcoming blog topics: I’m looking for signage ideas to share. Send in your pictures of cute open/closed signs, store hours signs and I’d love to see how you designate a store sale or sale area. Here’s one to inspire…

SALE mannequin

 

Until next time, stay display inspired!

Retail Details blog, Becky Tyre, Swirl Marketing~Becky Tyre, Retail Details blog