Retail Doom & Gloom: Crisis or Opportunity?

Mid Year State of the Market:  Maurisa Potts, in a mid year “state of the market” presentation sponsored by the Alexandria SBDC featured a headline stating, “Soft economy hitting big retailers hard.”  There are, I might add, some small ones not...

Wire Management is a Design Issue

The cash wrap in the photo above is in a medium high end fashion boutique in a trendy “New Urban” style shopping center with other similar competitors up and down the center.  I noted the problem during a site visit I made to meet with the shop owner who...

HVAC: Accounting for stuff only the birds can see!

Necessary – What has this got to do with me?  I am building a chic new retail store.  I need to focus on the design, merchandise displays and retail image.  Who sees this?  I know – I know, the space must have functioning heat and air conditioning but,...

Designing With An Open Plenum Ceiling

Open plenum ceilings are common design practice these days, seen more often than not in stores moving into newly built shopping environments.  In short we take them for granted as an acceptable design solution.  Recently, I have had a reason to take a critical look at...