A Gin and Tonic & That Pair of Jeans, Please

First, there were coffee counters and in-store cafes. Now one of the hottest fixtures in the retail environment is: The Bar. I suppose that there are very few things that can put people at ease quite like alcohol and it looks like some men's clothing retailers are hoping that it will make guys comfortable enough to stick around and make some purchases.

This article on WSJ.com digs deeper into the bar craze, but I think this little trend goes beyond the counter and stools and spreads to the rest of the store environment. It really comes down to creating an atmosphere. Color schemes, material selection, lighting patterns, graphics, and even the music help further convey that lounge feeling many of these retailers are going for. If men don't generally care for the traditional shopping experience and store environment, why not make it resemble an activity and place that they enjoy?

But this trend isn't limited to lounges for men. Once you have a good idea of your target market and their likes and dislikes, there's a huge variety of design elements that can be used to tailor the experience to these shoppers.