MINNEAPOLIS- Sanford (Sandy) Stein, retail designer, trend forecaster, speaker, and writer, announces the launch of his first book, titled RETAIL SCHMETAIL™ ONE Hundred Years, TWO Immigrants, THREE Generations, FOUR Hundred Projects. Published by Beaver’s Pond Press, it will be available in stores and online, in hardbound and e-reader formats, by late February.
RETAIL SCHMETAIL™ is a lively, thorough, and slightly irreverent examination of retailing in America over the last 100 years. It examines the icons, agents of change, and creators of brands in every category, describing the careers of the men and women who influenced what we bought and why we bought it. The book provides an insightful overview of the fundamentals of branding and design, along with a detailed analysis of what makes a great customer experience.
It begins with the story of identical twin brothers, Al and Lou Stein, who (after returning from World War II) opened the ‘eye-catching’ Jewelry & Toy Center in downtown Milwaukee in a space more closely resembling a neighborhood garage sale than a bona fide retail operation. Even though neither of these two “from the gut” marketing guys had a high school diploma, they more than compensated for it with their ingenuity, drive, and legendary sense of humor.
Al’s oldest son, Sandy, spent countless hours at ‘the store’ observing the twins’ antics in this Petri dish of mid-century consumerism. He also experienced the twins’ virtual reinvention with the creation of Pill & Puff, a defining brand and the first niche retail concept of its kind in the Midwest. This experience, along with his inspired Layton School of Art and Design training, primed him for a rich and wide-ranging career in retail design and consumer trending.
“Throughout the book I’ve identified the fundamental ‘trend drivers’ behind the changes that have taken place in retailing over the past 100 years, as well as addressing the major disruption caused by a wired world. The book takes a very objective look into retail’s omnichannel future along with its radical transformation from selling goods to staging experiences,” says Stein.
Omnichannel retailing is the ultimate synergy between and across retailing platforms or touchpoints. This recognizes that the customer identifies first with the brand and that the point of brand engagement is dynamic, unpredictable, and constantly changing. Stein discusses this topic along with many others, and pairs these academic analyses with personal stories and anecdotes about his notable clients and mentors who have played leading roles in his 40 plus year career in retail planning, design, and trend forecasting.
“I wanted this book to be both informative and entertaining; in a read, learn, laugh, repeat, manner. As a young and very geeky teenager, I was learning invaluable lessons from my father and his twin brother, as they went from ‘accidental retailers’ to brand builders. These lessons became the foundation of my career and gave me unique insights into the fundamentals of what makes for a successful brand and a great customer experience,” says Stein.
“From his mid-century retail roots and daily dinner-table indoctrination on ‘moving the goods,’ Sandy shares a comprehensive and highly entertaining look at the history of American retailing, along with an insightful view into its ever-evolving future,” says Tom Gegax, chairman emeritus of Tires Plus and author of The Big Book of Small Business.
Since its inception in 1981, SteinDesign, and more recently STEIN LLC, has been an industry leader in creating unique and highly effective branded environments, and has been responsible for over 400 retail projects ranging from regional and national prototypes, to niche concepts and store-in-store branded shops. Sandy has shared his unique insights on the ever-changing world of retail with audiences on three continents. In 1999 Sandy accurately predicted the trajectory and disruptive effect that e-commerce would have on the status quo.
Stein wrote this book with hopes of it becoming a useful resource for retailers, brand marketers, and educators; all those who need guidance in understanding our rapidly changing world of consumerism, in order to plan for the ever evolving future of retail. www.steinllc.com.