FIRST PLACE: Noble Herb

2023 International Visual Competition Awards

Food and Beverage/Consumables

AIMING TO BUILD a larger retail space in anticipation of adult-use legalization of cannabis in Arizona, Noble Herb (Flagstaff, Ariz.) looked toward Scottsdale, Ariz.-based High Road Design Studio to help the retailer’s experience stand apart from its competitors, while also attracting a mainstream customer.

“The goal for the showroom area was to provide a sophisticated way of featuring and retailing a variety of products in a very bespoke manner,” says Megan Stone, Owner, Principal, High Road Design Studio. “Noble Herb wanted a highly branded and beautiful concept strategically designed to address merchandising flexibility – to support in-house brands while introducing sought-after shelf space and retail opportunities to generate revenue through brand partnerships.”

Its main showroom area features wood-look porcelain tile bordered by concrete-look porcelain, exuding a residential aesthetic. Shoppable zones feature flexible fixturing with a mix of open and enclosed fixtures, supporting a self-browsing customer journey. The custom queue rail system guides shoppers toward 12 p-o-s stations highlighted by a fulfillment millwork wall. Impulse and apparel displays allow shoppers to continue browsing while waiting for purchase.

For many cannabis retailers, one of the biggest hurdles is figuring out how to merchandise product legally. “A benefit to other retail categories is the opportunity for shoppers to have a full sensory experience – seeing, touching, tasting, smelling or trying something on for size,” explains Stone. “Noble Herb overcame the challenge by investing in creating faux versions of the product, a strategy being employed by more and more brands. This allows the product to be displayed in a compliant yet appealing way.”

Stone explains that in place of real product in a Pure gummies display, for example, it’s instead filled with resin/acrylic versions of the chews – a simple (and legal) way to achieve visual interest.

Our 2023 judges applauded the warmth, approachability and accessibility of the space and its merchandise strategy, allowing customers to feel hands-on through their dispensary journey.

PHOTO GALLERY (13 IMAGES)
📷 Kevin Brost, Phoenix