NPN

“The c-stores that were constructed in the 1980s and 1990s tended to be in the 1,000 square foot to 1,800 square foot range. The c-stores of today are in the range of 2,400 to 4,000 square foot range,” Fiedler said. “As retailers try to implement their current strategies for food service and cus- tomer flow that their prototypical designs are based on into the smaller existing stores, they find themselves forced to scale back the offering.” In addition, the philosophy of customer flow through the c-stores has changed over the years. “In the 1990s a number of c-store companies located the cashier area in the middle of the sales area,” Fiedler said. “Today we see the old stores being reconfigured to locate the cashier either off to one side of the store or along the back wall of the sales area. By doing this the effective area of the sales floor is maximized and the distance the customer trav- els inside the store is also maximized.” With an intimate knowledge of retailer needs and con- sumer habits, Brian Weltman, owner and creative director of Retail Habitats, a firm specializing in retail store design, uti- lizes various techniques to optimize store layout and traffic flow, creating functional spaces that are aesthetically pleasing. Although traffic flow and design can vary from store to store, Weltman understands that the key to creating an effective retail environment comes from a solid design that not only looks great, but also serves the ultimate purpose of every store: to sell merchandise.“Layouts of these stores often incorporate such elements as fast food franchises, create a ‘fresh market’ setting by offering produce, and almost all are featuring higher quality coffee stations,”Weltman said. Additionally,many c-stores are re-thinking their layout as it relates to traffic flow and are beginning to re-design retail interiors to achieve a better flow for customers. “This often leads to better customer satisfaction and increased purchases.Adding new design elements and incor- porating more than just traditional c-store offerings are the largest key trends in the industry right now,”Weltman said. LAYOUT TECHNIQUES When laying out a store, it is important to consider traffic flow. In fact, one of the most common problems inherent in older c-stores is that they lack “flow.” For example, typically the service counter is located imme- diately to the right of the entrance.“However, individuals nat- urally gravitate to the right side of the store first,”Weltman said. “Just as we drive on the right, we also shop on the right. If the counter is located to the right, the design does not encourage customers to walk around the store and shop.” Because of this unconscious “shop to the right”behavior, it’s beneficial to plan for a feature display just to the right of the entrance. Then, a combination of flooring, lighting, and sig- nage can be used to create a pathway around the perimeter of the store that guides customers from right to left, putting “des- tination” items in out-of-the-way locations towards the back. www.npnweb.com  NPN Magazine “In this model, it is advantageous to place the service counter on the left side of the store. If all has gone according to plan, shoppers will work their way around the entire store, hopefully picking up more merchandise along the way,” Weltman said. Eric Daniel, executive creative director at WD Partners, a customer experience expert for retail and food brands, has broad retail design experience, including designing the Sheetz store while with his previous firm. Currently he works with Travel Centers of America, BP and ExxonMobil and from Daniel’s perspective, most c-store layouts are sim- ilar and lack the design elements that help consumers navi- gate their store. “The fact that the cold vaults are the destination in most stores is a drawback to the basic layout of 99 percent of c- stores,” Daniel said. “We have conceptualized several ‘c-store of the future’ projects for major brands, where the store design offers merchandised areas that simplify the selection of multiple products, and encourages true shopping, rather than ‘mission’ trips.” Daniel stressed that for those that have the opportunity to open a new store, Sheetz is an example of how store layout can positively affect customer perception. Sheetz Convenience Restaurant demonstrates essential design prin- ciples about the separation of convenience and food, and the centrality of the draw of coffee and the power of cross-mer- chandising to upsell. “We advise our clients to use the layout to guide and direct customers in and around the store—create specific merchan- dise zones that make it easier for customers to understand how to shop the store,” said Joseph Bona, president of the retail division of CBX,the New York-based strategic branding, design, and consultancy agency. Bona directs the retail envi- ronmental design and merchandising/operations consulting division of CBX.“We’re also seeing more open flow and open storefronts,a greater emphasis on foodservice,as well as grow- ing use of merchandising ‘pods,’ such as four-way fixtures, ver- sus traditional straight-run gondolas Additionally, we’re also in the early stages of seeing some self-checkout.” Store visibility and interior décor are two “top of mind” layout elements for many c-store owners and operators. “The visibility to the interior of the c-store is critical for both sales and security,” Fiedler said. For example, the recently completed ARCO am/pm station that Fiedler designed in Santa Ana, California has the pump islands per- pendicular to the store so as the customer fuels they are looking towards the c-store and has complete visibility to the inside of the sales area. “We also have seen some retailers that adjust the interior décor of the c-store to reflect the surrounding community,” Fiedler said. “A great example of this is the Shell station we designed in Moorpark, California. The station is located at the intersection leading to the local community college. The retailer incorporated a collegiate theme into the sales JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 19

• 001
• 002
• 003
• 004
• 005
• 006
• 007
• 008
• 009
• 010
• 011
• 012
• 013
• 014
• 015
• 016
• 017
• 018
• 019
• 020
• 021
• 022
• 023
• 024
• 025
• 026
• 027
• 028
• Mobile Fueling and DEF