Franchise Expo South

Not too long after we ring in the New Year this week, F.C. Dadson will be gearing up for Franchise Expo South, Jan. 15th-17th at the Miami Beach Convention Center. We're sending Tim Matey and Collin Gruthoff to man our booth, #342, and they're looking forward to meeting with franchisors, franchisees, and fellow industry suppliers interested in learning more about F.C. Dadson and our capabilities.

If you're heading to Miami for the show and are interested in meeting with either Tim or Collin while you're there, please call Tim at (800)728-0338 ext: 137 prior to the show to set up an appointment.

Hope to see you there!

Happy Holidays from F.C. Dadson!

As we wind down our work week and get ready for our holiday festivities, we at F.C. Dadson would like to take a quick moment to say thank you for taking a little time during your week to stop by The Diaries, and to wish you all the merriest of holidays.

I found this gem last week over at the OPEN forum and thought it'd be fitting to share on this, the day before Christmas. Enjoy! Twas the Night Before Christmas-Small Biz Style.

Project Pictures: Doctors Express

We talk a lot about what F.C. Dadson can do on this blog. Now here's some pictures to show you what we can do -- courtesy of Doctors Express.

Below are pictures from Doctors Express's recently-completed Atlanta location. F.C. Dadson developed the design concept and was responsible for the construction management and installation on the project. Additionally, F.C. Dadson supplied all the cabinetry, graphics, furniture and decor and coordinated with Henry Schein, a medical supply company, to procure the required medial equipment.

5 Signs Your Store Needs a Makeover + 4 More

How do you know when your store needs a makeover? Sadly, there isn't a magical answer like "once very 5 years" though that would be nice. No, it's more like "when any number of factors begin to occur." Vague, I know.

If you're trying to find where your store stands, Bob Phibbs adds some clarity with this RetailCustomerExperience.com piece titled, "5 signs your retail store needs a makeover." In it, he covers traffic patterns, design consistency, merchandise selection, and display layout, asking questions like "Does your merchandise scream sensory overload?" and "Does your store look old?"

After reading through the article, I immediately jotted down 4 more questions I would ask retailers pondering a redesign.

• Does your design still communicate your brand, products, and/or services? Things change over time and it's important that your store(s) continue to communicate the right message to consumers. Just take a look at Walmart and the transformation it's undergoing.
• Are your displays and decor out of shape? More than just looking dated (which is really what Mr. Phibbs meant by "old"), store components wear over time. Are your displays chipped, broken, etc.? Is your flooring past needing "just a good cleaning"? These are signs it's probably time to go out with the old and in with the new.
• Are you noticing a decline in sales? While this could be caused by a number of things, a lousy design could also be a contributing factor.
• What is the competition doing? Obviously you want to set your store(s) apart from the competition. However, if the industry is changing and upgrading, the last thing you want is to be caught in everyone else's dust.

I was really hoping to come up with a 5th, but my brain stopped short. Care to help me out? What would you add to round out the list?

Floored!

Planning on attending the NRA Show 2010 next May? If you haven't already, head on over to Floored!, the official show blog to help you get ready. More than just show-related updates and news, the site also features commentary on the restaurant industry, advice for restaurant operators, and -my personal favorite- plenty of tasty recipes.

What a great way to get people excited for the show while providing a lot of other content readers can benefit from in the meantime!

How To Be A Good Client

Too often when we're on the client-side of a transaction, we think, "It's their job to please me," and we kick up our feet and wait to see what we get. True, it is a vendor's job to please clients; and sure, in a handful of situations, you can go to a business and simply give them your money and get what you want without much effort on your part. In the store design and build out business, however, the process is a little more involved than that.

I've mentioned Seth Godin's blog here before and today he makes it again with this post titled "How to be a great client." Every one of the points he makes fits the client-designer (or build out professional) dynamic. Two highlights:

• Hire the right person. You'll get the most from and client-designer relationship if you take the time to find a partner who believes in the project as much as you do.
• Be honest about resources. One of the first things we'll ask about is budget. We can design an elaborate masterpiece, but if you can't afford it, then we're back at square one.

Remember, we do our best work when we work with you, not just for you.

Rapidly Redecorated Retail

Fantastic locations and favorable rent aren't the only attractive things about vacated stores. There's also what can be found inside like abandoned counters and displays. Taking a page out of many seasonal retailers' playbooks, retailers are making the most of what they inherit when leasing a space. Could this be a trend going into 2010? We think so.

With all the retail buy-outs and scooping up of empty spaces, retailers looking to quickly put their brand on their new locations while saving a few bucks are opting to use existing fixtures and marking their territory with a new coat of paint and signage. Some leave the fixtures as is while some refurbish them with new laminate, paint, stain, etc. to better match their branding - all at a fraction of the cost of doing a complete store remodel. For some, this is a temporary fix with the retailer planning to update the store with its complete branded design when the money's there. For others, this will be the extent of their store makeovers.

Do you see this form of quick retail turnaround gaining popularity in 2010 and beyond? Leave your thoughts here.

More Names Join the Pop-Up Game

Is it December already? Time flies as the year ends. In fact, this post should have been put up yesterday, but I ran out of time. So, here it is a day late, but better late than never, right?

Oh, one of our favorite topics of the year at The Diaries is back in the news. Yup, pop-up stores are still making waves, this time in Boston where this article on The Boston Globe's website discusses how retailers are taking advantage of vacant storefronts and mall spaces with temporary shops.

Often we think of larger retailers and manufacturers using a pop-up environment to promote a specific product line or brand, but as this article points out, that's not always the case. Toys "R" Us is getting into the mix with its "holiday express" stores and, along with Learning Express, is helping fill the mall toy store void left by KB Toys.

Online brands are also making the jump to temporary retail. eBay recently opened a pop-up shop in NYC and other online companies like Boldfacers.com are hosting pop-up shopping events as a way to generate revenue and build business.

The challenge for retail designers and fixture manufacturers now becomes how to build environments that attract shoppers and function like a traditional store, yet break down quickly to be stored until the next event.