Forty years has nothing on The Container Store. Considered the nation’s name in storage and organization products, the retailer has unveiled its first Next Generation Store.
The Coppell-based company gave its Dallas flagship location, located on Northwest Highway across from NorthPark Center, an extensive makeover in an effort to re-imagine the customer experience.
The remodel comes at a time when other brick-and-mortar stores, such as Target and Abercrombie & Fitch, are redesigning their locations to keep up with Amazon and other e-commerce retailers.
“It feels like we’ve given birth, because this has been an incredible labor of love and the perfect example of teamwork,” The Container Store's CEO Melissa Reiff said.
The store’s concept is a result of consumer research conducted by strategic design and architectural firm FRCH Design Worldwide and digital innovation agency MJD.
“One of the things we want to do is make our stores more approachable,” The Container Store's chief marketing officer Melissa Collins told CNBC. “We find customers feel overwhelmed and intimidated. They’re not very organized, so they’re thinking, ‘How do I get started?’”
At 24,500 square feet, the Dallas flagship store has updated furnishings, new flooring and enhanced lighting. Ceilings were lowered to make the store more inviting. Aisles were widened, and rows of shelving were removed to open up the floor. Merchandise was rearranged and separated out into specific departments: kitchen, office, storage and closets.
The store features 18 digital screens, where customers can watch digital content, browse products or design their own organizational structures to save or print out for purchase.
Customers can visit The Organization Studio, which allows them to upload a photo or video of their organizational challenge online and set up an in-store appointment to meet with an organization expert, all free of charge and with no purchase commitment. Nearby is a lounge, where customers can wait for their appointments.
“It’s a bridge between the online experience and the store experience,” said Val Richardson, vice president of real estate at The Container Store.
The Next Generation store is anchored by the Custom Closets Studio, where customers can browse in-store models, consult with experts and build a custom closet, complete with hangers, baskets and bins.
It is no guarantee, but for now, the Next Generation Store is a model for what could become of its 90 other U.S. locations.
“We’ve got to learn first what resonates here and what the customer loves about this new remodel,” Reiff said.
The Container Store is expected to open four new stores, including two relocations in Tysons Corner, Virginia and Denver, in 2018.
