Found, antique, vintage etc.
There’s a growing trend towards individuality in larger brand retail taking after what’s been going in the leisure market for a few years. After all why design the same thing over and over again when you can do it differently every time. The modern globe trotting or even just city hopping person perhaps doesn’t want the same environment every time s/he visits the same brand.
One way of changing the environment without watering down the brand is to use found and refurbished objects, fixtures and fittings that are in keeping with the overall brand identity.
Graphics often becomes less important and the objects and furniture more valuable. How this style of retail will stand the test of time I’m not sure, it needs constant reinvention and reiteration to keep it fresh rather than the usual complete refit every five years or so.
A few examples of some more individual ‘third places':
Roy Street Coffee and Tea by Starbucks
Originally from: Furfin
15th Avenue E Coffee and Tea by Starbucks
Originally from: Furfin
The Chin Chin Laboratorists
Originally from: Dezeen
Red Wing Shoes, Amsterdam
Originally from: Furfin
Starbucks concept store, Conduit Street London
Originally from: PSFK
And on this blog …
Mood board heaven
No sooner than we talked about the need to create an online mood board app than along cam Pinterest. A doddle to use and very addictive and of course super useful.
Sign in with twitter, create pin boards, pin images from web pages (unfortunately not from Google Reader) upload images and follow other users.
Still got 4 invites left so add your name to the comments if you want one.
John Wilkes Riflemaker
A lifetime ago we used to stand outside the Sun and 13 Cantons on Beak Street and lust after this shop. Always loved the colour and the signwriting.
Now a gallery it’s got it’s own website www.riflemaker.org and is available for hire.
Setting up shop – online
If you’re thinking about setting up an ecommerce or mail order shop, or even adding ecommerce functionality to your website you need to be aware of UK distance selling and e-commerce regulations.
Here’s a link from Out-law.com to help in writing those all important terms & conditions. Also much more useful ecommerce set up information on the site.
Rapha Cycle Club
A good piece about the Rapha Cycle Club café from Noisy Decent Graphics.
Also worth looking at his flickr group of the café. The Rapha website’s not too shabby either and a nice video on Monocle.
These days there’s no reason not to have a shop, a pop up shop, a twitter, a facebook page, a van, go to festivals, write a book, a photo essay, a magazine, have a loyalty card, a website, a microsite, a tumblr, a flavors.me, print a t-shirt the list goes on. Brands that market themselves as authentic and have an idea win. Those that buy off the shelf and stick their logo on, fail.
Update: just came across another piece about Rapha here on everydaylife.style loads more to explore on there too.
Brands on Twitter
Doesn’t seem much real life interaction between customers and brands via Twitter over here (UK). Over there (US) of course it’s done better.
More on The Escape Pod’s blog.
Originally spotted on Brandflakes for Breakfast
The Mid-Century Modernist
We really like this redesign of The Mid-Century Modernist, especially how the gallery is done, pulling in and displaying ebay auctions. All done in WordPress.
Originally spotted (I think) from Erik Spiekermann’s twitter.
The Future of Retail by PSFK
You can flick through the Future of Retail or get a download here.
Well worth a look.
New New York Subway Map
From the New York Times a look at a new version of the NY Subway map. Interesting to look at the older versions although I have to agree with Erik Spiekermann, “Maps that use diagonal type are designed by amateurs”.
The full thing on the NY Times.
As always there’s an alternative, the Kick Map
Made up
Just spotted made.com, a new furniture website and to make it even better for a new visitor there’s a pop up money off voucher. Nice idea.
Originally spotted (and more info) on the very fine Design Milk.
