Retail Rotold Case Studies

original photos and drawings by Ashley Warriner


Morgan Imports - Durham, NC



locality = identity. warehouse revived. industrial eclectic.
Morgan Imports in Durham occupies a substantial hunk of corner retail space in the repurposed warehouse district in Durham now known as Brightleaf Square. The shop front - or back it might seem – is loading dock-turned front porch, sprawling across the entire length of the building and home to potted plants and a butterfly bench. A welcome gathering place, it is both in scale with its surroundings and in keeping with the local character. A patinaed iron railing becomes a bold design motif – industry meets artisanry – an homage to the city itself. The front entrance is charming red brick flecked with bit of peeling paint with rusticated accents of knotty pine, glass, and corrugated metal. Glass doors give only a peek at what’s inside.











Ox & Rabbit Soda and Sundries - Durham, NC




the allure of good lighting. fun with color. curb appeal.
From across the street, this little shop nabbed my attention with its fun and whimsical use of color as well as its subtle inner glow. Unlike it's neighbors, this little store looked super bright and cheery inside in large part due to a large overhead skylight filling the shop with its sweet rays. The shop is whimsical and contemporary in its use of color - icy popscicle blue with accents of lime, aqua and orange. Rainboots and t-shirts and old furniture, a spinning wheel, retro mobiles and art deco light fixtures bring the windowscapes to life, beckoning in the passersby.



Ninth Street Flowers - Durham, NC



visibility. color. multiple points of interest.
After surveying the world of retail design over the past couple of days, I realized that most outdoor shop windows fall flat on their faces when it comes to displaying the product rather than obscuring the product. This one was as clean as a whistle and as clear as a bell---allowing the objects inside to sparkle like gems in the evening sun. While only a few actual plants were visible from the window the shiny glass bottles of various shapes, colors and sizes, vases and scrolling metal flower pot holders dance on a dark, black background. Their arrangement is simple and straightforward, positioned right up against the glass and crowned by a well-placed and proportioned logo that proves that a little goes a long way.





Scandanavian Shop - Chapel Hill, NC

ambiance. uniqueness. art historical.
This reminded me of a grown-up toy store...all the things one could want: suitcases, shoes, soaps, stacks of books and scandanavian things. Two yellow-chartreuse walls that glow gold against red swags in the foreground. There is a complex use of space within the confines of an ordinary shop window. Posable figures in dynamic positions hang from homemade, yarn-trapezes and swing among strings of mini-lanterns. New shoes in incomplete pairs in candy colors are obvious and ironic in their singularity. The symmetry of the store front is also very strong and the use of pattern in the blue and white awning and the potted plants mix soft and hard. An old newspaper article next to an old toy engine invites the window shopper to investigate further.


Vespa Ristorante - Chapel Hill, NC



warmth. indoor-outdoor. european cafe casual.
Yes, that's right, there is a Vespa restaurant and dealership all rolled into one. The atmosphere is distinctly European and cultivated while seeming unpretentious and easy. An old Vespa sits out front- and brings with it allusions to Roman Holiday and rustic cobblestone streets. Lovely cypress create a screen between the walk and the dining area and entrance, establishing a transitional area between inside and out. Behind the warm glow you can see through the large windows, you can spy maps of Italy and vintage movie posters. The restaurant does a good job of addressing visitors on foot as well as drivers. The facade is tall and accomodates ample signage, critical on a corner that is somewhat obscurred by trees and the sheer density of the commercial district.

McPhersons Hardware- Burlington, NC



controlled chaos. nostalgia. product diversity.
Every inch of real estate is accounted for here in a hardware store that looks like it's been there for the past 50 years. It's got the essentials displayed: birdhouses, clay pots, mailboxes, American flags and other miscellaneous. The old lettering over the entrance takes you back as does the old facade- a sewing together of two old buildings into one with a lean-to shed roof on the other side protecting the potting soil. Signage here is important among all the chaos lest something be lost. A cardboard sign in the shape of a key indicates the service provided inside while radio flyer wagon boxes remind one of the importance of brand loyalty. The store is located on main street and is distinctively small-town and locally owned.

The Tire Center of Burlington - Burlington, NC



product placement. advertising and brand recognition. architecture as signage.
The Tire Center of Burlington is a prime example of a store that relies heavily on name-brand recognition and its visibility to the potential customer. The store front is brilliant in its configuration: a rounded, futuristic (now nostalgic) looking window that faces on-coming traffic on a busy one-way street. Shiny wheels sit poised on shelving that recedes into the background, leaving the product as the main focus. Metallic license plates carry the names of all the major brands. The store front and sign rise high into the sky - rocketing upward.


Hot Topic - Greensboro, NC
theme. thinking outside of the box. interactive.
Does it really matter what they sell? Its just fun to walk through the faux steel half-pipe and follow the sound of the music. Hot Topic is unified by its strong brand and theme- it's young, rebellious, raw and industrial. It's dark on the outside and well lighted and energetic on the inside.



Basix - Greensboro, NC





simplicity. branding. unique display.
I chose this store because its brand name seemed very well conceived in the design of the store. It was about basics. A white framed box bumps out and creates two store windows, while oversized doors open into the open space. Ceilings are left exposed and painted gray. White walls and white floors highlight the color and texture of the product itself: hip-hop clothing for the teen market. Nothing but three manequins stand in one window with short sparkly dresses. The vibe swells from the entrance and the mammoth glass walls magnify the intensity of light streaming from the store.