Lee Carpenter

Lee Carpenter, chairman and ceo of Design Forum (Dayton, Ohio), is a true child of the Midwest, a product of Danville, Ill., and a graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in Industrial Design.

Carpenter began his career in product design with Huffy Corp. in Dayton.

As products were adopted, he became responsible for developing packaging, as well. This grew into merchandise displays, which moved into entire vendor shops. He is credited with establishing environmental design departments and store-within-a-store approaches for Huffy.

“Eventually, we were designing entire stores,” he says. He founded Design Forum in 1978. “The first store we designed won store of the year, and the rest is history.”

That history most recently involved the merger of his firm in February with Interbrand, part of New York marketing giant Omnicom Group (New York), the third-largest advertising conglomerate in the world (and parent holding company of BBDO Worldwide, DDB Worldwide and TBWAChiatDay Worldwide, among others).

Word association: Midwest…

The very small sliver of land between New York and L.A.

If not store design?

Directing motion pictures. Many of the skills necessary for this discipline cross over into store design and branding: the ability to create a look through fixtures, lighting, props, color and visual merchandising. But in retail, the products are the stars.

What do you remember as your first unqualified success?

Meijer. This was our first big box design and we were able to take a concept that had regional appeal and translate it into a world-class design that resonates with consumers.

What's the smartest question a client has ever asked you?

“How can I experience my brand in a 3-dimensional space?

What's the dumbest?

“Why do we need you? All we need to do is just put some shelves in a room.”

What never fails to surprise you?

The creativity of our young designers, both in their design solutions and in their modes of speech, dress and behavior. Just when I think I've seen it all, they come up with some new twist that surprises me.

Why do award-winning stores often fail?

Awards are given (rightfully) for design and creativity. But with new stores, judges can't take into account the business strategy, brand relevance, consumer perception or merchandise legitimacy of the concept. Although the design or the concept may be great, it is often not operationally feasible or financially sound. Entertainment is fun and wins awards, but it's not nearly as important as a store's ability to make money long-term. Just ask Warner Bros., Rainforest Cafe and Viacom.

Which store [other than one of your own] is your favorite?

Beaver Liquors in Beaver Creek, Colo. We ski there each year. The basement wine cellar is fabulous.

When you enter a store, what's the very first thing you look for?

Impact! First impressions are very important in meeting people and seeing a store for the first time. Does the concept hang together? Do I understand what they're selling and where I should go? Does it talk to me? Do I get the joke?