Innovation Browns Of York

Browns is an award-winning, family-owned independent store in York which has been operating for over a century.

JSA’s most recent project with Browns was the refurbishment of the cosmetics hall. Our brief was to work closely with Browns to provide a revitalised and significantly updated cosmetics department with an environment that would attract new cosmetic houses.

Throughout the refurbishment, JSA worked closely with the various existing cosmetic houses to co-ordinate the programme of upgrading the department with their own installations.

The central feature of the new department is the open window space along the frontage of one side of the building allowing customers to look into the store, bringing in natural light and strengthening the visual effect of the entrance. The whole floor is opened up to maximize the impact of this fantastic piece of real estate in the heart if the city.

Other key elements included the extension of the marble flooring with a complete clean and polish of the existing surfaces; an enhanced coffered ceiling with coloured lights and an increase in the light levels to 1000 lux from 500 – 600.

Since the work was completed there has been a 30% increase in sales across the cosmetics; this significant increase in turnover has led directly to our appointment for the design of the remaining cosmetics space, including the introduction of new brands.

Included in this new brief is the planning and design of the fashion and accessory departments which will include re-planning brand adjacencies and circulation routes, the introduction of new smooth surface ceilings, lighting, flooring and store fixtures. This work is due take place in August/September 2006.

There is almost a constant bombardment of coverage in the press and on TV about the importance of the emerging Chinese market, but nothing could prepare one for the cultural differences and sheer excitement of doing business in China.

JSA were in China on a research trip with the BSSA (British Shops and Stores Association), along with a trade delegation. It was an exciting, manic trip characterized by amazing hospitality and a real sense of pride on behalf of the Chinese in what they’ve achieved in a relatively short space of time. In every city, we were hosted by trade officials, regional governors or mayors.

A typical day would start at 6am call, followed a coach or plane journey to a different city – five in all including Shanghai, Huzhou, Chongzhou, Nanjing and Shenzen. On arrival we would visit shops, department stores or factories, enjoy a banquet at 12.30pm, more visits in the afternoon and then another banquet at 6.30pm after which we would socialize with our hosts.

Most of the group was principally interested in factory visits and negotiations with potential supply partners, but they also spent time visiting retail areas. These were as well designed and executed as anywhere we’ve seen with the possible exception of New York and Chicago.

We were amazed at the quality of the design, the shopfitting and the superb visual merchandising – even counterfeit goods are displayed fantastically.

There was a huge contrast in retailing styles from the traditional Chinese Market to the brand led department stores, which appeared to be totally concessioned with no scarcity of top (mostly original) western brands. In fact the department stores consisted of brands, brands and more brands!

The scale was extraordinary - the shoe department we visited is the largest we’ve ever seen and must be 20,000 square feet covering most of the world’s key brands. In another store there was a unique white goods department of 30,000 square feet covering everything from fridges to washing machines, microwaves, radiators - it really was an amazing department!

Not too far away in the electronics department - as you might expect in China - there was gimmicky ipods, tv's and monitors, again featuring strongly by brand. Despite the “one child” family culture, children’s departments have a very significant presence in stores, again merchandised largely by brand and covering all product categories from clothes, footwear, sports, furniture, toys. Sports goods are particularly popular with all the major brands accounted for including Adidas, Puma and Nike.

The general feel is that the retailing here aspires to Western values – many of the brands in the up-market stores are almost at Western prices, and there is a sense that, in terms of design, the shops here are heavily reliant on copying Western retailing and branding, rather than innovating their own style, with the exception of the restaurants which are still resolutely Chinese.

Away from the big stores, the markets in China are astonishing – obviously counterfeit goods are a real attraction for the shoppers who might expect to pay no more than £1 for 10 T-shirts. Interestingly the same type of people that shop at the markets also seem to shop at the more prestigious stores.