Unbranding the Brand II: The Strategy of No Brand

by | Jun 4, 2012

      This Effort by Starbucks describes a store design problem that is related too, but not exactly the same as “unbranding.” It is telling us that the market is saturated and cannot support the same shop over and over again. My idea of...

Expert Decision Making

by | May 4, 2012

<►>Night Maximizing the visibility of an unshaded East facing exterior storefront for a business that has both day and night time traffic is an undeniable design challenge.  This one is successful because of some expert decision making.  Someone decided to...

“Cafe Incognito”

by | Mar 19, 2012

<►>View from North West New shop owners, even those who are very successful, would do themselves a favor by looking at pictures of their storefronts taken from several directions.  When this recently opened cafe is put to such a photo test, it becomes...

The good location gone bad trap.

by | Feb 25, 2012

Even the most sophisticated retailers can get caught in the good location gone bad trap.  One potential mine field in this regard has to do with locations that are being leased in newly built or renovated centers.  The landlord’s leasing agent will show off the site ...