Whether you’re hiking the Defiance Plateau in New Mexico or climbing the stairs to the uptown 6 train in New York, Merrell says the great outdoors is wherever you find it.
The performance footwear retailer has been outfitting outdoor enthusiasts for over 20 years. Its campaign “Let’s Get Outside” is about encouraging everyone to get out and be active. The country, city or suburb – it’s all about the “new outdoor.”
The prototype store by Fitch (Powell, Ohio) focuses on three distinct consumer types: urban dwellers, comfort seekers and outdoor enthusiasts. It caters to each with a cocktail of style, attitude and natural yet modern elements, such as cork wall paneling, steel rods and faux fur-lined shadowboxes. A winding, physical shape lends a feel of the land to connect the brand with its outdoor roots.
Fabric scrim is suspended along perimeter walls, allowing for seasonal design changes. Bright greens, oranges and blues and images of cityscapes, butterflies and the company’s manifesto al fresco color the walls. Track lighting follows the curving path of the store, spotlighting not only the shoes, but also the scrim background.
There are no high heels or wedges in sight. Comfort reigns supreme. Tennis shoes, hiking boots, clogs and flip flops rest on modular wood shelving units floating vertically and horizontally on steel rods.
A city may be a concrete jungle, and a suburb not very pedestrian-friendly, but Merrell insists they’re all great places to be active.
Client: Merrell, Huntington, N.Y. – Keith Anderson, director, marketing
Design: Fitch, Powell, Ohio – Eric Kuhn, art director; Paul Teeples, senior environmental designer; Garrick Reischman, senior graphic designer; Jim Penn, senior planner/merchandiser; Tom Wilson, implementation manager; Tracy Adkins, implementation coordinator
Architect: Fitch (Phoenix Studio), Scottsdale, Ariz.
General Contractor: Soupious Construction, Ford Salonga, N.Y.
Engineer: Paul J Angelides P.E. Consulting, Laurel Hollow, N.Y.
Flooring: Dur-A-Flex, East Hartford, Conn.
Lighting: , Garden City, N.Y.
Fixtures/Furniture/Millwork: General Theming Contractors LLC, Columbus, Ohio; Hanover Signs Inc., Columbus, Ohio; Accel Group, Wadsworth, Ohio
Paint: Benjamin Moore, Montvale, N.J.
Laminates: Pionite, Selton, Conn.; Wilsonart, Temple, Texas
Signage/Graphics: JDK Design, Burlington, Vt.
Fur Insets: Interface Flooring, La Grange, Ga.
Brandon King, Fitch, Columbus, Ohio