Past, Present, Future

VMSD’S ANNUAL RETAIL Renovation Competition is rooted in the importance of physical retail, and this year was no exception. The winning conversions and renovations this year show that stores are continuing to morph from a simple place to shop into an essential brand experience.

And the presence of brand experiences is not lost to the generation gap: From baby boomers to Gen X and millennials, consumers across the board still prefer to shop at trusted physical destinations rather than relying on online purchases. Even the digital natives of Gen Z and Gen Alpha flock to stores for exclusive, personalized experiences, according to multiple generational surveys conducted by global research firm NielsenIQ.

Take this year’s Retail Renovation of the Year winner, Los Angeles-based Skims. This formerly online-only powerhouse, co-founded by Kim Kardashian, made waves across the industry by opening its first permanent flagship in late 2024, translating its warm and comfy branding into an iconic Fifth Avenue mainstay.

Retail Renovation of the Year:

• Skims
  CONVERSION: Specialty Store, Sales Area Under 10,000 Square Feet
  SUBMITTED BY: RDC | NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS: Rafael de Cárdenas, Designer | PHOTOGRAPHY: William Abranowicsz, New York

Retail Renovation of the Year First Place:

• Saucy!
  CONVERSION: Restaurant/Specialty Food Shop
  SUBMITTED BY: ROWE | NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS: Jefferson Brand Base, Architect of Record; Summit Properties, General Contractor | PHOTOGRAPHY: Simon Lewis, N.Y.
• Hoka Midtown
  CONVERSION: Specialty Store, Sales Area Under 10,000 Square Feet
  SUBMITTED BY: Chipman Design Architecture | NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS: G4 Group | PHOTOGRAPHY: Will Ellis, New York
• Babyletto
  CONVERSION: Specialty Store, Sales Area under 10,000 Square Feet
  SUBMITTED BY: RDC | NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS: Dyelot Interiors | PHOTOGRAPHY: Stephen Busken, Los Angeles
• Panda Inn
  RENOVATION: Restaurant/Specialty Food Shop
  SUBMITTED BY: ARCADIS | NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS: Parker Brown Inc. | PHOTOGRAPHY: Weldon Brewster Photography & Dylan James Ho Photography, Los Angeles

Honorable Mention:

• Voodoo Doughnuts Capitol Hill
  Submitted by: Design Well Spent Co. | Photography: Emily Keeney
• Innvictus Polanco Flagship
  Submitted by: Arcadis | Photography: Rafael Bautista
• Rawlings Experience
  Submitted by: Oculus Inc. | Photography: Karen Palmer Photography
• ON, Austin
  Submitted by: Pen110 Studio | Photography: Louie Herman Photography, New York
• Von & Co. Medical Aesthetics
  Submitted by: Design Well Spent Co. | Photography: Ari Burling