Fountain of Retail Inspiration

TOP PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

KC, Here We Come!

Mentions of Kansas City, Mo., likely conjure a certain football team with back-to-back Super Bowl wins, its tight end and his pop star girlfriend or maybe the occasional “Ted Lasso” reference. But there’s so much more to this Midwestern city, a.k.a. the City of Fountains, and a newly crowned top travel destination by travel guidebook publisher “Lonely Planet,” that attendees to this year’s International Retail Design Conference (IRDC) will have the opportunity to discover.

From Oct. 9-10, the premier educational and networking event for the store design and visual merchandising communities – presented annually by VMSD magazine – will convene at the Marriott Kansas City Downtown in the city’s historic Power and Light district for a jam-packed agenda of motivational keynotes, interactive workshops, networking events, strategy focused breakout sessions, a mix of semi-guided and self-guided retail inspiration tours and, hopefully, a little KC-style barbecue.

Kansas City is home to historic markets, interactive museums and architectural wonders like the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

Creativity Visibility

Day one, Oct. 9, will begin with New York Times bestselling author and 9/11 survivor Michael Hingson and his opening keynote, “Thriving in the Corporate World Through Understanding the Power of Trust and Teamwork,” to explore how to recognize the importance of trust and teamwork inside and outside the workplace. Following the keynote, attendees can choose between two interactive workshops to get the creativity flowing. In “Deep Dive with Chicken N Pickle,” participants will get a taste of experiential retail and how they can adopt similar strategies, while “Move Over Coffee ~ Color has the Power to Energize You!” will unlock the secrets of color psychology.

Expect even more thought-provoking discussions that afternoon on blending hospitality, experience and retail, the cultural value and importance of mannequins and a story-led session featuring Walmart Beauty and Verdant Studios on best practices for partnering with artists on brand activations.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

For those looking to explore beyond the hotel walls, the Offsite Retail Inspiration Tours this year will include a “VIP” tour of The Hallmark Visitors Center (spots are limited) or a self-guided sojourn of Country Club Plaza – hosted by the Heartland Chapter of the Retail Design Institute – a 1920s-era outdoor shopping complex in part known for its Spanish architecture, with more than 120 local and national retailers and restaurants. (A must-stop during your visit, courtesy of Kansas City, Mo., resident Matt Henderson of BRR Architecture: Charlie Hustle, a longtime local and immensely popular vintage sportswear shop.) A handy tour booklet, produced this year by Arcadis, will feature other must-see destinations to check out during your visit. Post-tours, prepare to soak in all the energy during the 18th annual Iron Merchant Challenge, co-hosted by ZenGenius and emceed by ZenGenius’ Joe Baer, wherein six teams of 10 attendees work to whip up a themed faux window display in one hour using only the materials provided and one top-secret ingredient unveiled onsite.

Known as the City of Fountains, Kansas City, Mo., was recently named a top travel destination by travel guidebook publisher “Lonely Planet.” PHOTO: SEAN PAVONE

A KC-Style Celebration

Thursday, Oct. 10, kicks off with the return of speaker Sarah Quinlan, Managing Director and Founder of SAQ Economic Advisory. In this general session, she’ll discuss the current state of the retail economy and any potential challenges that might be on the horizon. Day two events will also include a sustainability focused discussion surrounding Google’s latest flagship, an interactive panel on conscious consumerism and the VMSD Awards Luncheon, a celebration of VMSD’s competition winners, including the 2024 VMSD/Peter Glen Retailer of the Year (featured in this issue, pg. 46). Capping off this year’s event in a lively fashion is closing keynote presenter Dr. Monte Selby, a Grammy-award-winning songwriter, recording artist, educator, author and speaker, who will explore how to develop stronger connections, free your creativity and empower collaborative environments.

As IRDC 2024 comes to a close the evening of Oct. 10, join the VMSD and IRDC staff to celebrate at nearby Blade & Timber and Sinkers Lounge, sponsored by Henderson Engineers – a 5-minute walk from IRDC’s host hotel – for some cocktails, light bites, axe throwing and indoor miniature golf. The concept of creating an experience is an imperative strategy for retailers and designers today, and this closing party will certainly be an experience!

To secure your spot or for more information about IRDC, visit irdconline.com. See you in Kansas City!