Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Retail Vouyer: Tip for Curating Vintage, Handmade, Art- Window Shop!


I'm a shameless window shopper, I don't do it often, but I love to drink in the displays for inspiration. It helps me envision changes to my antique mall spaces at Southern Crossing (and hopefully a retail space beyond that!) and reinforces the importance of display and branding when curating vintage or creating an art line. Here are a few favorite photos from my last big window shopping indulgence and a look at favorite display styles.


Looking at these photos you'll notice a three popular trends:

1) Grouping Likes
2) Using the unexpected as displays (love the vintage fridge door below!) and
3) Effective Lighting. 

These are all things I like to play with and continue to try and incorporate into my antique mall spaces and branding, it helps shoppers pick efficiently and tells your brand's story. Another plus with window shopping, it can help you realize what's being done to death so you approach your brand with fresh ideas.

All Photos of Earth Bound Traders, The Closet, and Fringe  in St. Augustine, Florida were snapped with my phone's camera.

Another trend of note for the window shopper and indie business owner is the way big chains (Earth Bound Traders in this post) are closely reproducing the look of legit independent boutiques, like The Closet (pink-filled store pictured)
 and Fringe (kitsch filled store pictured). It's nothing new, but something to think about as we continue to grow our brands. There's plenty to bring to it, especially that genuine handmade touch and personality, that will ensure we always stand out.

Do you window shop for inspiration, too?  I'll be writing more about business inspiration into the future and how to keep inspired, expect many more photos from walks in my neighborhood, travels, and explorations. What do you do for a creative boost when you've tapped the well of innovation dry?
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10 comments:

  1. Love all the store photos and window shopping. St. Augustine looks like a lot of fun to shop through!

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    1. St. Augustine is definitely fun to shop through and explore, it always relaxes me.

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  2. Keeping your eyes open while shopping is a great idea! BTW-- concerning my Wacky Pack, you must have seen Scott Tissue/TP in your day, no?

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    Replies
    1. Ha, that's so sad, I really didn't notice the pun there.

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  3. I constantly look and get shop inspo from window shopping! This is making me feel a little pressure because I've sort of been neglecting my booth lately and I need to get over there and straighten things up...
    Becky :)

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  4. Haha, it'll do that. It motivates me to work harder on staging my booth.

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  5. Hey, this reminds me I should take some photos of stores in town.

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    Replies
    1. Do eeeet. I have many to go through and post...

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  6. Thanks for sharing the cool photos from your window shopping excursions. I always find it interesting how each shop seems to capture the personality of its owner(s).

    I especially love to look at the way clothing and specialty boutiques display their wares. I find they really know how to maximize the use of small spaces to create a warm and welcoming environment.

    One of my favorite local shops to visit is Castle in the Air in Berkeley. They showcase the work of some of the most creative artists around in their window displays. They call themselves a studio for the imagination - a perfect description of what they're about. Plus, they have the very best art classes you will ever take anywhere. Students come from all over the country just to take classes from the most amazing artists who teach there. Check them out if you're ever in the San Francisco Bay Area :0)

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    1. I will definitely check that out when I inevitably make my way over there, dying to explore it all. Same here with checking out small speciality boutiques, it really inspires me to get busy branding myself in my mall spaces.

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