Notwithstanding the economic climate the retail sector seems to steamroller on, manifested locally by the opening in Churchill Square of the fifteenth UK Hollister Store. The outfitting costs must have been considerable but no doubt a US chain originating back in 1922 is able to look beyond surviving the next year or two. The decor is quite extraordinary. In the entrance one is greeted by a large low-slung crystal chandelier and two deep armchairs: inside is deep, but somehow comfortable, gloom with the merchandise picked out by a few well-directed spot lights. It immediately called to mind the 1905 El Tovar Lodge, in Grand Canyon Village, Arizona; but no doubt the style is much resorted to throughout the American West where dark interiors seem designed to provide relief from the summer heat and sun.
It's a wonderful example of Californian old town store, with the shaded porch to offer protection from the harsh sun, the step up from the dusty street. With the deep old arm chairs, positioned to watch the world walk on by.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Jason. I think local retailers will increasingly need to do this kind of thing to compete with online shopping. "Going shopping" as opposed to simply "buying stuff" should be regarded as a community/cultural activity and walk-in shops as part of the entertainment industry.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen a Hollister store before? They all look *exactly* the same -- the terracotta tiles, the chandelier, the smell, everything. And that's not just in the UK -- they're all the same in the US too. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteNo, this was the first, but I guessed it was a brand image ;)
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