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PG Store Design Contest: Grand Designs
By Meg Major
PG applauds a new collection of Store Design Contest award winners, whose innovative, functional masterworks profiled on the following pages provide a closer look at 11 of the industry's most engaging and inspiring concept supermarkets. From downtown Milwaukee to a New Orleans neighborhood struggling to recover from the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina and various locales in between, 11 grocery stores that set the standard for overall excellence are showcased on the following pages of 's second annual Store Design Contest. Five categories – including two for new ground-up construction, as well as three budget levels for remodeling projects ranging from modest to unlimited – gave operators of every shape and size a chance to be recognized in the following classes:
Construction of eligible store designs and remodels must have been completed between January 2010 and December 2010. WINNERS Price Cutter Plus, Springfield, Mo. The Market by Longo's Bing's Supermarket, Sedalia, Mo. Super 1 Food & Pharmacy, Shreveport, La. Glorioso's Italian Market, Milwaukee, Wis. Ray's Apple Market, Manhattan, Kan. Bistro Market by Price Cutter, Springfield, Mo. Lakeview Grocery, New Orleans, La. Runner-Up: Brookshire's Food & Pharmacy, E. Fifth Street, Tyler, Texas Exito del Este, El Tesoro, Colombia 1st Place: Calgary Co-Op Quarry Park Centre, Calgary Best Overall Store Design/Conventional Format
With its unique design elements and building materials such as dyed and polished concrete floors, tumbled-slate stacked stonework, custom graphic murals in several departments, and circular tiered wood-ceiling elements in the floral department, the 53,000-square-foot Price Cutter on Nolting Ave. in Springfield, Mo., boasts an innovative, award-winning store design by RPCS Inc./Ramey's. One of several entries in PG's Store Design Contest this year from Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group, the Price Cutter Plus store design project had the central objective of creating a clean, contemporary supermarket to provide an exciting and inviting space that reflects the natural beauty of the surrounding community by incorporating familiar natural materials such as wood, stone and metal into the design elements. Based on the accompanying photos, this objective was brilliantly achieved. Highlighted by colorful, high-quality tiles in the service deli, bakery and meat departments, the attractive, functional concept store also features curved soffit and custom woodwork in the meat department, along with ample use of track and accent lighting throughout to enhance the overall shopping experience.
At the outset of the project, several challenges were readily identified. Approaching the project design of an oversized box of a building, the store design team faced the primary challenge of determining how to departmentalize the different store departments to help make each one a unique destination of its own. The team aimed to create "vignettes" of each department, a key element of which involved creative placement of the interior walls and tailoring floor space to achieve the specific vision. Ample use of color also played a leading role in giving each department its own unique ambiance, as did the selection of the light fixtures, the foot-candle contrast in each department, and the sleek use of graduated ceiling planes in several of the departments. Another challenge the design team successfully tackled was the floor plan, which created a relatively narrow walkway between the deli and organic area. Task lighting was added above the service cases, but a drywall soffit would have visually closed off the space. An astute solution was devised in the form of a custom-designed, narrow structural band placed above the deli that allows for well-placed accent lighting without overwhelming the area with an overhead soffit. In addition to its innovative and attractive interior, the store also has a number of sustainable features, including a system that reclaims heat from refrigeration units to warm the building. Store Designer Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan. Best Overall Store Design/Urban Format
Working closely with Longo's to develop a solutions-based store format that placed less emphasis on center store in favor of fresh foods, store designer Watt International Inc.'s finished product skillfully incorporates a streamlined offering of grocery, dairy, bakery and frozen foods. To ensure a seamless, fluid floor plan to shop, the design team prioritized working with a footprint that was familiar to shoppers and similar to a full-shop grocery store. A rectangular shape was chosen to accomplish this goal, offering shoppers the perception of a more familiar store layout, and therefore making it easier for them to find everything they need.
The design placed produce in a familiar, favorite front-of-store location to highlight Longo's fresh, healthy offerings while further reinforcing that the store is a condensed grocery store rather than an upgraded convenience store. Watt's design team also incorporated custom lighting that elevates the space and takes advantage of the high ceilings. The round silver lighting employed throughout, meanwhile, trains a warm spotlight on merchandise while adding an upscale feel to the urban store, which also conveys a more boutique feel to create a warm and inviting shopping experience. Among the challenges confronted by the design team was a slight elevation of the front door, which prohibited customers from easily seeing it from street level. To solve this issue, a large amount of appetite-appealing exterior photography and clear signage communicating savings and specials was installed to entice customers and capture their attention. Interestingly, due to recent street beautification regulations enforced by the city of Toronto, Longo's and Watt were also challenged not only to redesign the inside of the new store, but also to refresh the exterior, while adhering to various city policies. And here again, the end result is an exterior that's as inviting and visually stimulating as the interior of the gourmet compact grocery supermarket. Another challenge that needed to be addressed and surmounted was the harshness of the concrete that surrounds the store. Working with Longo's, Watt created exterior applications that covered most of the concrete around the store. Further, by using Longo's brand colors strategically on the exterior of the building, the store designers were able to soften the harsh exterior and bring the brand to life at street level. Yet one more challenge was maintaining the brand essence of Longo's between its suburban and urban stores. By using similar building materials and finishes while simultaneously communicating its core underlying messaging that conveys comfortably familiar layouts like those in its suburban stores, The Market by Longo's has been able to maintain its own unique brand essence while expanding into a new and exciting market segment. Since its grand opening in March 2010, Longo's Hudson Bay Centre store's first-year performance was strong, reaching 90 percent of its projected estimates. Even more promising are sales for the first half of 2011, which are currently trending at more than 30 percent over last year's, reflective of strong customer and neighborhood acceptance and approval, as well as an excellent combination of location, design and offerings. Store Designer Watt International Inc., Toronto Best Low-Cost Remodel/Community-Based Format  In seeking to create a genuine "hometown grocer" in Sedalia, Mo., that plays up its neighboring proximity to Missouri's state fairgrounds that sit directly across the street from the store, the design for WEB & Sons Inc.'s Bing's supermarket was created using many of the architectural elements and nostalgic images that could enable customers to slow down and "smell the cotton candy." Given Bing's long-standing history of servicing customers in Sedalia for over 50 years, achieving a familiar hometown feel for local shoppers and fair enthusiasts alike was paramount to the concept AWG/Design and Décor Source Group was striving to achieve. Among the many unique design elements and materials used were hand-painted custom dry-brush graphics on faux wood-plank wall covering and custom fairground murals depicting various events, in addition to signage commonly seen at fairs, and oversized produce crates with different hand-painted aged labels on the fronts. Further, an architectural element from the most well-known building on the fairgrounds was replicated and repeated throughout the space. Past historical produce company logos were also hand-painted and vintage-aged on the crate tops, all of which was capped by a matching laminate wood floor and high-contrast merchandise lighting. The wall material running horizontally and the flooring material running into the case frames further brighten the natural beauty of the fresh produce department. Trying to recreate the fairground elements in the store, however, was not without its challenges because of budget constraints, which were overcome in part with faux brick and wood-plank wall coverings, along with routed and painted foam for the architectural molding elements.  The tight space in the deli and bakery was another concern as AWG's Design and Décor Source Group sought to conceal the working prep areas, a hurdle that was remedied by extending the space out on one end alongside a "beauty wall" that cleans up the space and makes it look more inviting to shoppers. The soffit silhouette in the deli and bakery, meanwhile, is a replica of the unmistakable and familiar fairground scenes, while copper-color pots throughout the department evoke images of a warm country kitchen.
Vintage photos of an oil painting that had been in a historic local building many years earlier provided the inspiration for the meat department wallscape, images for which capture every aspect of the fair: races, best in shows, carnival rides and a rodeo. A highlight of the fair for many, of course, is the concession area, which was employed as a figurative muse for the dairy and frozen departments. Wood wall coverings finished with dry-brush painting created some of the weathered signage similar to that which is found throughout the fairgrounds. "The remodel of the Bing's West location was a labor of love," says Thomas Munson, president, WEB & Sons Inc. "The love for the community of Sedalia, which has supported us for almost 60 years, and the love of the Missouri State Fair and what it has brought to our community over the years. We used the Missouri State Fair theme in the décor of our store because the Fair has played a big part in the success of Sedalia, and the architectural design of the buildings on the fairgrounds represents the strength of the support we have had from our community." Store Designer AWG/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan. Best Low-cost Remodel/VALUE Format  "Mission accomplished" aptly sums up the results of a major remodeling project to impart an overall fresher look to the interior of the 65,200-square-foot Super 1 Foods & Discount Pharmacy at Waggoner and La. Highway 171 in Shreveport, La. Having sustained steady growth over the prior year, the store sports a new-image storefront, new signage on the exterior, and a new décor package and vibrant fresh paint throughout, set off by new interior flooring that was also vastly improved with a functional and attractive stained concrete finish. The front end was dramatically enhanced with new checkstands, shopping carts and hand baskets, while all display cases and case lighting were additionally upgraded. Restrooms were also in on the act, with a total makeover featuring new flooring, paint, fixtures, partitions and lighting. A simple but noticeable upgrade is in clear view on the store's interior ceiling, which was painted white to brighten the store – a touch that sets the stage well for a colorful décor treatment across the board that further accentuates and reinforces branding. Many cases throughout the store were also re-skinned and new update signage was added to coordinate with marketing materials inside and out, which further reinforces Super 1 Foods' brand, and its warm and welcoming total store environment.  The store was one of several Shreveport and Bossier City, La.-area stores to undergo extensive remodels with such features as pharmacy drive-through lanes, new lighting and expanded customer services, including more aggressive pricing for the Brookshire Grocery Co. banner's "Wall of Values" and fresh departments. In tandem with the remodeling campaign, the regional chain implemented other strategic changes, including a new weekly sales ad format, shelf tags, increased "impact" items, and new carousel checkstands offering cashier sacking. The changes were broadcast to customers via billboard messaging (static and electronic), radio, movie theater messaging, and special mailers to military personnel at nearby Barksdale Air Force Base. With the Shreveport market long factoring as a key part of Brookshire's overall success, the upgraded stores – including its award-winning design discussed above – and more aggressive stance vividly underscore the company's commitment to reinvesting in Super 1 Foods operations. Store Designer Brookshire Grocery Co., Tyler, Texas Best Low-cost Remodel/Urban Format Just mention the name Glorioso's in southeastern Wisconsin, and the words "Milwaukee icon" come readily to mind. Established by the three Glorioso brothers, Joe, Eddie and Ted, the specialty Italian market located on historic Brady Street has been a first name in food and fare from its original existing location since its inception in 1946. Since that time, the next-generation owners, cousins Felix and Michael Glorioso, have worked side by side with the founders as co-managers, even as the tireless trio of owners hit their 80s and 90s.
Realizing that an expansion of the original 3,100-square-foot store would be limited within the current facility, Glorioso's management decided that moving away from Brady Street was simply not an option. However, as the cousins evaluated their goals to grow, the historic 20,000-square-foot multi-story Astor Theatre located directly across the street went on the market and would prove to be the ideal choice for Felix and Michael to expand their business while remaining on Brady Street. But how could an early 1900s building that once served as a home to vaudeville players and other social events in the 1930s and 1940s be successfully converted into a specialty Italian market? Enter supermarket design and project management firm Mehmert Store Services, which got a call from Michael to discuss the project, the goals of which included an expansion of Glorioso's grocery and specialty offerings, an enhanced cheese and wine selection, a gourmet dessert and gelato area, and a bigger prepared food section. More kitchen space would also be required, along with a sit-down café and space to accommodate the return of Glorioso's signature Trio's pizza program. While it was imperative for the project to keep close to the established budget, it was even more important to the owners that the new store maintain its small Old World market charm – so much so that if any doubt surfaced along the way, the family reserved the right to cancel the project. After extensive feasibility studies and site evaluations of the 1907 vintage building that appeared on the Milwaukee Historic Building Registry, the project got underway. The demolition process was a dramatic event as layer after layer of non-period-correct construction was peeled back to reveal the original structure of the building. A second floor that had been added over the years was partially removed to create a soaring space above the retail area.
A new refrigeration system with heat reclaim was added to the project; energy-efficient refrigerated cases were installed seamlessly alongside display fixtures of wood and steel that tastefully complement the rustic plank floor. Streamlined LED and energy-efficient light fixtures create a well-lit space while drawing little attention to the fixtures themselves. Harp-style street lights designed specifically for the city of Milwaukee became the centerpiece of the lighting design. The entire process was rewarding for both the owners and the project team, but nothing could have been more satisfying than the response from the community when the store opened in late November 2010. Total customer traffic count and total store sales have doubled. Bakery sales, with the new coffee and gelato components, are running 10 times the levels of the old store. Wine sales are up 100 percent, with cheese sales soaring 125 percent, while the prepared food program featuring the new pizza program skyrocketed 150 percent from previous store sales. Indeed, the intricate design challenges of the project were certainly worth the outcome that marvelously fused a local retail icon with a historic theater to create a true destination for Milwaukee-area shoppers. Store Designer Mehmert Store Services, Sussex, Wis. Best Mid-budget Remodel/Community-based Incorporate the image of apples by creating different ways of eating apples, i.e. the progression of an eaten apple at checkout stands, the peeling of apples, the slicing of apples.  It's quite fitting that for a store that caters to Kansas State University students, and likely their professors as well, ample apple imagery would be used to highlight the recently remodeled Ray's Apple Market in the heart of Manhattan, Kan.  At the core of the vibrant, welcoming, 53,000-square-foot concept store – the cozy design for which was orchestrated by Kansas City, Kan.-based AWG/Design and Décor Source Group – is a neighborhood grocery store that reflects the pride of its home state and the family history of its owner, Mike Floersch, who also owns six other stores within the city limits of Manhattan. The site of a former ALCO discount store, the interior facility was gutted first, followed by the exterior, along with an addition to accommodate for a larger variety of foods and new features such as a sit-down café area that invites students to meet, study, eat and enjoy quality coffee. Custom hand-painted graphics are a highlight of the "appealing" interior decor treatment, which features departmental locators painted inside apple peels that run along the walls of the store. Serpentine floor design in the frozen foods section further enhances floor plan symmetry, while a 3-foot-tall-by-7-inch-wide 3-D polyurethane foam coffee cup painted on the café wall replicates a china white coffee cup.
Circular hanging fixtures and wood structures at checkout stands further reinforce the serpentine design element throughout the space, which again employs apples to communicate the brand and achieve high-volume grocery sales. Among the food department upgrades is a larger deli, which offers made-to-order sandwiches and about 18 kinds of fresh cold salads, produce and dairy/refrigerated items, whose key constituents – milk and cheese – are now kept behind glass doors. LED lighting has also been added to most of the food cases, while other eco-friendly lighting has also been added throughout the store, along with more energy efficient HVAC heating and air units. Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, the award-winning Ray's Apple Market offers breakfast, lunch and dinner for customers. Store Designer AWG/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan. Best Mid-budget Remodel/Urban-Format Angling to capture a fresh, urban space that reflects the history of the building and the recent revitalization of the surrounding downtown area, RPCS Inc./Ramey's 10,000-square-foot Bistro Market by Price Cutter concept store in Springfield, Mo., has earned rave reviews for its game-changing, eye-catching design that has raised local customers' expectations to new highs.
Given its central urban setting, Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc.(AWG)/Design and Décor Source Group aspired to cater to the local downtown businesses and university students that reside near the store while conceptualizing a floor plan that was not only a unique food experience, but also a social gathering destination. Among the unique design elements and materials used in the store are custom dry-brush graphics that were hand-painted on faux brick-wall covering. In the deli, a local artist was tapped to create a mural incorporating meaningful and well-known sites from around the Springfield area. The bar top in the liquor area, meanwhile, was built with repurposed historical bricks found loose in the building. The historical tin ceiling was repaired and kept in the space, while an oversized rolling door can be opened to accommodate more seating, which further helps to visually expand the space and create a sidewalk café feel. While the store designers wanted to take full advantage of the historical brick wall located in the store by replicating and continuing it throughout, budget constraints prohibited the use of real brick. The challenge was overcome by using faux brick-wall covering to give the illusion that the brick continued throughout the space, without the added cost. The size of the store, which could have potentially been blurred into one large space rather than separate departments, also presented the store designers with another unique challenge. To overcome the would-be hurdle, the innovative store design team used hand-painted wall graphics, different lighting types and contrasting color schemes in each area to visually departmentalize each area and create individual destinations within the space. Capturing ample acclaim for its cutting-edge design, excellent array of high-quality food and beverage offerings, and solid assortment of grocery offerings, the finished product handily delivers an inviting and unique shopping experience that not only personifies the revitalization of downtown Springfield with many of the building's existing historical structural elements, but also offers local shoppers a modern, contemporary Bistro Market to call their own. Store Designer AWG/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan. Best Mid-budget Remodel /Conventional Format Established as a linchpin in the renaissance of a neighborhood struggling to recover from the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, the stunning and radically remodeled Lakeview Grocery in New Orleans has emerged as a beacon of local pride shone by a special community-focused grocer.
A venture of Robért Resources LLC, the entity that also operates the well-known Robért Fresh Markets, the store opened last October and occupies the former site of Lakeview Fine Foods, which had been vacant for five years. According to designer King Retail Solutions (KRS), which had an overarching goal of conveying trust and basic honest value – attributes that were long a cornerstone of the neighborhood, and the metaphorical glue that held people together during the tenuous time of Hurricane Katrina – the entire interior space required demolition as a result of the severe storm damage sustained by the existing market, leaving only the four exterior walls. The project scope included reimagining a new brand and food experience uniquely suited to the residents of the recovering neighborhood. The resulting store required all-new store planning, outfitting, design and implementation, which included several unique features that didn't exist before, the attached, locally inspired Harrison Cove in-store café and the fresh food service area in particular. Long before the design phase, KRS dug deep into customer preferences via focus groups regarding shopping habits and what an "ideal shopping experience" would comprise. Key findings included a non-racetrack-like, "friendly and fun" store design that offered "room to move" through an easy-to-shop floor plan that facilitated easy in-and-out shopping, along with an organized layout for "simple convenience" that also incorporated unexpected discoveries to "surprise us!" KRS set out to design a store that was relevant to the neighborhood. The new space would look local and familiar, providing for simple, basic needs, yet incorporate modern conveniences such as updated service areas and a new café. Making the store fit within the existing footprint was among KRS' biggest challenges, not including the new service areas and café, which weren't part of the original space. The solution was found in a building addition, along with borrowing some of the existing space, resulting in a design that clearly created a separation of space and brand for the exterior entry, and an enhanced visual presence for both the supermarket and café areas. Heeding a tip from focus group feedback, KRS designed the store with destination areas as visual focal points to generate unexpected discoveries and encourage exploration in departments such as deli, liquors and the café, against the backdrop of a simple, open layout that seamlessly provides for basic daily needs. Promotional and seasonal display of fresh products sets the tone upon entry to the store, whose lighting design concept aims to convey a retro supermarket feel engineered to today's standards and offering luminescent, glare-free shopping. Further, decorative and accent lighting not only provides "visual flavor," but also adds sparkle to service area displays.  Simple, affordable building materials, such as stained plywood and sealed concrete, convey an honest, value persona, while hand-lettered signs playfully communicate local freshness with tongue-in-cheek humor and imagery to make the shopping experience familiar and fun by adding a personalized, nostalgic touch. Further, nautical-inspired signage in the café signifies the area's heritage adjacent to Lake Ponchartrain. To reflect the retro motif, refrigerator-white case cladding was used, contrasted with glossy black cart guards. Specialty shelving was constructed out of a custom wood finish for the liquor department, while black gondolas with round-outs were used in the premium/local merchandise areas, along with oyster-white fixtures for general merchandise displays. All told, the project delivered splendidly on its original expectations, which collectively contributed to a highly successful community-based store that has received an overwhelmingly positive response. Store Designer King Retail Solutions, Eugene, Ore. Best Mid-budget Remodel /Conventional Format  Creating a more modern, relevant shopping experience was the primary impetus behind an extensive remodeling project at Brookshire's 37,000-square-foot Food & Pharmacy on E. Fifth Street store in Tyler, Texas, that has since resulted in sustained double-digit growth over the prior year. Choosing a palette of fresh, bold colors for the interior décor, as well as new tile flooring and re-skinned cases, the whole store has benefited from the more open atmosphere that in turn, translates into a fresh and inviting shopping experience.  Centerpieces of the remodeled Brookshire's are a full-service meat and fresh seafood counter, as well as a sandwich and olive bar in the deli featuring premium meats and cheeses. The bakery also has new "cakerie" cases to highlight signature treats, including Yums gourmet cupcakes, as well as a new decorating station. The expanded produce department showcases many new varieties, including more organics, as well as an airy floral department housing an array of fresh flowers and unique gift items. The exterior storefront also received a full facelift with a more modern and welcoming treatment, which was accomplished with an enhanced design package and a creative use of materials and colors. The parking lot has also been resurfaced and refurbished, including new lighting. The store now houses a Southside Bank branch, in addition to an in-store pharmacy featuring a wide range of related health-and-wellness items. A new electronic recipe kiosk also provides shoppers the added convenience of meal suggestions and preparation tips. Store Designer AWG/Design and Décor Source Group, Kansas City, Kan. Best Overall Store Design/International-Hypermarket  With more than 86 hypermarket locations in Colombia, Exito is one of the largest retail chains in Latin America. Working alongside the Exito design team, the store design pros from Watt International Inc., developed a retail format that is a tangible expression of the store's brand positioning: fresh, gourmet, surprising and innovative.
A concept store in every sense, the 46,000-square-foot Exito del Este compact hypermarket is designed to improve operating productivity while offering customers an unmatched shopping experience. Inspiring destination zones include an upscale fresh market showcasing seasonal offerings, fashion, electronics and housewares, along with cooking demonstrations led by professional chefs preparing gourmet meals for customers. Electronic signage throughout the store increases shopper dwell time by delivering targeted messages to customers, such as product information, pricing and recipes. Throughout the design process, many steps were taken to ensure the new store would be environmentally friendly, foremost being LED lights installed throughout the store, non-pollutant and fume-free paints for the food gondolas, eco-friendly refrigeration systems with energy-saving regulating valves, and biodegradable packaging for all prepared foods. The new store, located in a shopping mall within a wealthy neighborhood, was conceptualized to be the "store of the future" and function as the flagship store for Exito with a format that offers solutions, as opposed to products, vis-à-vis an innovative hub. Within the alcoholic beverage section, touchscreens highlight wine and meal pairings, as well as suggest recipes that pair well with specific beverages. Additionally, all cash wraps have two screens installed: one for the cashier and one for the customer, to round out the interactivity of the entire store experience.  Designed to stay as true to its forerunning 100,000-sqaure-foot format as possible, the new store format had a main objective of helping Exito align its stores with a recent brand refresh at the same time as the unveiling of the new upscale compact supermarket. Wood paneling that wraps from the floor up to the ceiling is used throughout the store to highlight the various service points and help customers navigate around departments.The merchandise displays throughout the store showcase Exito's gourmet offering; for example, fruits and vegetables are cut open on shelf so customers can see the insides of the products. Vivid in-store graphics help impart excitement for its target higher-deomgraphic Colombian customers, who are in turn vigorously embracing Exito's new format. Cognizant that a novel, fresh design for an exciting small-format store launch was essential in courting higher end shoppers, the store design team found that simply paring down the amount of merchandise would have likely otherwise greatly hampered the desired result of the design project. Additionally, Exito del Este's fresh foods, which comprise 19 percent of sales for the entire store, vs. 13 percent of sales for the larger hypermarket format, have also well exceeded expectations, adding another winning touch to this impressive international showstopper. Store Designer Watt International Inc., Toronto Best Overall Store Design/ International-Conventional
While the initial design strategy sought to depict the interior space as a modern design, the architect's exterior renderings captured a more classical European façade reminiscent of historic Canadian architecture used for grand hotels. To harmonize disparate architectural themes, King Retail Solutions (KRS) created a unique "modern chateau" design concept that fused old and new architectural design concepts under one magnificent roof. As making a small store look bigger was among the biggest challenges of the design process, the KRS design team employed several techniques to enhance the small space. Energy-efficient natural lighting played a big role, although it was a challenge to integrate natural-lighting elements with electrical lighting, as color balance and illumination values differed greatly. Dramatic up-lighting of perimeter walls provides focus on supergraphics, which are modeled after 19th-century classical designs. However, to lead shoppers effortlessly through the various perimeter departments, careful consideration was paid to the use of supergraphics, materials and wall finishes. Perimeter wall design elements are juxtaposed to provide a modern interpretation of a classical concept.  Designers opened the center area of store through exposed trusses and ducts, and a second-level mezzanine dining room was added, where customers could look out over the supermarket space. The "modern chateau" concept aims to delineate spaces that provide customers with a unique journey. Lit like the ballroom of an elegant chateau, the grand entry conveys a sense of arrival and public gathering.  The store's produce and foodservice sections, meanwhile, are also treated like the grand ballroom of a chateau featuring contemporary, chandelier-like clustered rings that serve a dual function: to conceal overhead lighting and make the area into a focal point. As customers navigate the grocery aisles, lighting levels drop to be more intimate and private, yet more effective, on product illumination. The overall sleek, innovative design of the Calgary Co-op Quarry Park Centre has not only been met with positive acclaim by store team leaders and associates, but also, most importantly, customers, who relish the captivating shopping environment. Store Designer King Retail Solutions (KRS), Eugene, Ore. |
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Incorporating all of the fresh departments and offerings of its traditional stores within the reduced footprint of a 7,800-square-foot urban model, The Market by Longo's builds on the success of its evolving urban-concept store strategy that reflects a new generation of Longo's stores designed to meet an increasing demand for a superior shopping experience, while providing downtown customers access to a wide variety of quality foods.
The original structural steel was exposed and restored to play up the history of the building. Interior walls revealed the charm of cream city brick. Double-hung windows on the interior, along with canopies, awnings and parapets, created a streetscape reminiscent of Brady Street from years gone by. Windows facing the street were maintained in the design to allow for natural light and clear visibility from the sidewalk that runs along the store. Significant iron structures for hanging sausage and cheeses, along with scrollwork signage, continued the Old World Italian market theme.
The Calgary Co-op Quarry Park Centre supermarket is the newest addition to a chain of more than 23 food stores. As part of a 5.7-hectare regional shopping center in southeast Calgary, the new store is the greenest in the Calgary Co-op grocery chain and includes several environment-saving technologies encompassing equipment, LED lighting and comprehensive recycling programs. In addition to its grocery offerings, the store also features an in-store pharmacy, mezzanine-level café seating and a children's play area.
