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Angelinos know "Third and Fairfax" as the landmark site of the Original Los Angeles Farmer's Market with its 1934 clapboard clock tower visible for miles. It is also the location of The Grove, a new Disney-like mega mall of upscale retailers. Now they are discovering it as the site of one of the most ambitious Whole Foods Markets (WFM) the grocery chain has developed yet.
The 40,000 square-foot Fairfax store has aisles of organic and natural products, organic produce, on-site bakery, an expansive prepared food area, coffee roasting operation, and an inside eating area.
It is in the interior design and décor that Whole Foods has distinguished itself from the glitz and glamour of surrounding high-end retailers. The Fairfax neighborhood is a densely populated and widely divergent neighborhood with varied income levels. "We wanted to appeal to the upscale shopper without putting off the mainstream customer," says Lauren Cundiff, WFM Store Design and Décor Coordinator.
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"I threw a lot of challenges at CDS and they didn't blink."
-Lauren Cundiff, Store Design Coordinator, Whole Foods
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Cundiff challenged CDS to come up with a look that would work on several levels: sophisticated but not glossy, natural but not folksy. CDS designer, Denise Pillette, experimented with different materials: slate, mosaic tile, strawboard, flame-edged metal, broken glass and neon to produce a post-industrial look that redefines the term "organic" for a large urban market.
CDS updated the WFM color scheme by simplifying, making it more cohesive and tying the colors into the refrigerated cases. Warm golden yellow, pumpkin, deep rust, and gray green distinguish the store and help designate departments. Above the Juice Bar, broken glass has been playfully sculpted into fruits and vegetables. For the Asian Kitchen, CDS designed a dramatic 20-foot sheet metal dragon with neon eyes and tongue, set against a wall of bamboo. "This is LA," explains CDS account representative, Melinda Schroeder. "It's a very visual market with customers who expect to be entertained. At the same time, we have created a theater that first and foremost sells product."
Would the investment in the décor package meet aggressive sales projections, though? "We had a very successful store opening in May. It is now one of our highest volume stores," says Cundiff. "My boss is happy. And when my boss is happy, I'm happy." Another case of CDS helping retailers sell more by design.
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