Create an exceptional retail space with retail design-build process.

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Bud Morris
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Create an exceptional retail space with retail design-build process.

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Bud Morris
 

How the CBSF retail design-build process helps businesses scale while making the most of budgets and timelines.

What started as a business idea, your concept, quickly became the real thing. But at a certain point in the growth of every retail business, people in your position find themselves looking beyond the first few locations; outgrowing the scrappy, start-up mindset that got them started. And looking beyond the first few locations naturally shifts their focus to how they will approach future buildouts, how the brand will be executed in new markets, and how customer experience will be elevated with each new rollout. A professional retail design-build process can help businesses achieve these objectives without any headaches.

Planning for what’s next always leads to a new way of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong – we don’t want to lose the core elements of your brand, your operating philosophy, or the elements that allowed you to get to the place you are now.  It’s just that at a certain point in the growth of every retail business, as leaders we find ourselves turning to specialists to challenge our thinking, to make the most of our resources, and to execute at a level we’ve not hit in the past – be that something as technical as space planning and custom fixture designs, something as experiential as interactive displays and interior design, or something as operationally-focused as retail market research and program feasibility studies.

The CBSF retail design-build process is more than simply design and so much more than a manufacturing process.

Our process starts with a challenge, your challenge.  It leads to a “what if we…?”. And it ends with an exceptional retail environment you’re proud to call your own.

At CBSF, we help Canadian retailers conceptualize and build spaces that create experiences shoppers can feel, intangible elements that draw them in, allowing them to be a part of something greater than themselves.

But before we get into all of that, it starts with you.

I built this company from the ground up knowing exactly what it takes to grow a retailer’s business – taking brands from smaller, mom-and-pop operations to hundreds, and even thousands of locations. And in every case, it comes down to location, brand, and product – and how these three core retail pillars come together to create the shopper’s experience in your retail space.

And so our retail design-build process starts with retail research and strategy.

We need to get on the same page.  We want to understand everything about your unique situation – your business, your brand, your customers, your market, your program, the areas the business is maximizing (or in many cases not maximizing) sales, and your goals. These elements influence your retail design down to the right hook for you.

We take everything that is happening in your business, what you’re facing, what you’re up against and come back to you with the expertise you need to go from single-digit growth to triple-digit growth.

We get to know our retailers through:

  • Brand & Market Research
  • Customer Insight
  • Site Tours & Secret Shopping
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Feasibility Studies

Then comes the fun part, retail space design and retail fixture prototyping:

Once we’ve established the core strategy, we get started on the design process focusing on your brand’s strengths, your customer experience, your merchandise, and your plans to grow. 

Exceptional retail design is about creating customer-centred experiences, environments that focus on both how it feels and volume of sales. 

As a team, our collaborative effort goes to build your business’s identity through design with our work in:

  • Research & Development
  • Store Layout & Floor Plan Design
  • Interior & Fixture Design
  • Drafting & 3D Modeling
  • Value Engineering
  • Prototyping & Proofs of Concept
  • Engineering
  • Graphics and Signage

Of course, talk is cheap.  So our in-house process goes beyond talk to fabricate, source, and build the spaces and custom retail fixtures you need, right here in Canada.

Quickly go from approved designs right to custom retail fixtures and displays, be that custom shelves, stands, or signage – everything you need in-house.  Giving you the freedom to choose every single detail that’s needed to make your vision a reality:

  • custom wood for shelves, tables, and counters, 
  • custom metal work for racks, hooks, and signs, 
  • custom acrylics, plastics, and glass for sign holders, display cases, and branded graphics,
  • shelving and accessories from standard shelves, custom shelves, or end caps,
  • wire products such as wire baskets, stockroom shelving, and specialty shelves and racks,
  • and shopping and stock carts for customer and staff use.

Amazing project management makes or breaks a build.

Our in-house project management team helps proactively catch any problems early rather than sit back and wait for things to go wrong.  Not only do we have an experienced in-house installation team, but we also provide you with a single point of contact to see you through the entire process. 

Zero confusion between who to ask when you have a question.  No doubt who you should talk to if you have a concern. And an open-mindset whenever you have a new idea.

Okay, let’s get this space built out and make it happen.

At CBSF, we mean it when we say we do whatever it takes. We take care of everything for you.  Because all of the work that got us to this point in the process wouldn’t mean anything if it wasn’t well-executed.  

Building out spaces from coast to coast and in the United States, we do everything to get you to your opening day on time and on budget.

  • Warehousing & Logistics
  • National & US Shipping
  • Installation Services
  • Merchandising Services
  • Multi-location Program Rollout

Our retail design-build process was developed in the real world, with real customers.

Our passion to work with entrepreneurs and retailers, building real brands and real business, is what drives us.  Through having the experience of working with international brands, right down to the little one-offs, having a growing team from coast to coast and almost three decades of experience in this industry, whether it’s a single location or a thousand locations across the country, we immerse ourselves into the dreams and visions our clients bring us to help them stand out to customers, increase sales, and build lasting businesses.

We prove through our collaboration with clients it can start as a simple sketch on the back of a napkin, but that it can easily become a reality right down to the tiniest of details.  

So, bring us your idea and we can make it happen, exactly how you imagined it.  

Are these 3 key challenges keeping you from scaling successfully?

Download our NEW white paper here.

At CBSF, we know what it takes to scale from 3 stores to 50 (and beyond). But there are common challenges that all retailers face which keep many from scaling successfully. We want to help you execute on your plans to scale, using our years of expertise and knowledge to do so. Discover what holds retailers back from scaling and what you do can do avoid those same pitfalls. Download “The 3 Challenges All Retailers Face While Scaling” here.