"Ask-Us" series: - What to do in planning the design of a new store

Comments from our “Ask-Us” link in our website:

Graig B. from Virginia Beach sent us the following question: “I have been a goldsmith for the past 5 years working for a national store chain and I want to know what do I need to do and how do I go starting my own business and opening my own jewelry store?”

SMA Design Group’s advice based on our way of running the design of our Clients' stores:
-1- Make sure you do understand that such a venture is not an expenditure, BUT it is an investment and that you will be 100% committed to it. And, like any other investments we all know off, the ultimate goal of this investment should be a maximum end result at all cost within justified reasons.
-2- Retain the services of an Accountant to assist you prepare a 3-5 years business plan as well as preparing the financing and a budget for such a venture based on your current financial means. This budget must include all items for this venture, from professional services, construction cost, merchandising displays, merchandising items such as jewelry, watches, gift-ware (if any), etc. No items small or large should be left out!
-3- With the business plan and budget completed and before you start shopping for a possible store location, you must hire a professional store planner (Interior Designer or Architect, NOT a decorator or a cabinet maker or a design & build contractor) with experience and training in the “Planning and Design” of Jewelry stores. This professional, upon careful study of your Business plan, services and merchandising departments, should and will be able to contact a market research of the demographic area you want to operate in, should be able to identify and understand your targeted market needs and should and be able to provide you with at least 2-3 possible store locations for your store location. Review this information in detail with your professional and discuss all the pros and cons of all options for every location such as traffic flow, exposure of the store to oncoming traffic from a distance and from near by, etc, prior to making a decision on the new store location.
-4- Upon deciding and securing a final store location, your Store Planner will start his planning and design process by establishing first a targeted store completion date and grand opening date. Most of the times this should be around 2-3 weeks prior to a major local or national event that relates with jewelry in order to take advantage of potential targeted customers purchases.
-5- The Store Planner will start his/hers store design work based on your provided budget restriction that will include all related areas such as merchandising departments space allocation, lighting design, display and packaging selections, graphics design and related visual presentations, store fixtures design, design of theft prevention and security systems and procedures. Also at the start of this work, the Store Planner will start on his/hers research and qualification of local and/or national general contractors and store fixtures manufacturers.
-6- Upon completion of the store design drawings and design review with you the owner and application of any changes, the Store Planner will prepare all related tender documents for the construction of the store and tender all drawings to at least three final qualified general contractors with directions on the expected completion date of their work and related matters.
-7- While the construction of your store is underway, the Store Planner will work closely with you the owner and your team on all related store preparations of such as merchandising departments, any possible advertising plans, sales associates training on displays and security procedures and on the store’s “soft opening” followed by the “grand opening”.

BUT, the most important detail that a Store Planner must carefully and seriously take into consideration is the lighting design of the store considering the type of merchandising sold and the character of the store design itself. Lighting is the first and most important element in the design of a jewelry store that will have a grand effect on the jewelry sales; the second most important element is the planning allocation and presentation of the merchandising departments and items with the third element being the security and integrity of the store!

If you have a question on any elements on the planning, design, operation and security of a retail store, ask our professionals @ askus@smadesigngroup.com, or visit our website @ www.smadesigngroup.com

Happy selling.