Echeverria Design Group, Coral Gables, Fla., designed the newly renovated environment for Stuarts-Kanter, a 30-year-old shoe retailer located in Miami's Dadeland Mall. Designers focused on increasing the functional selling and stock areas in the 1700-square-foot store, which includes a mezzanine and ground-level stockroom. The store's facade was projected to emphasize the entrance and provide display space, and new mobile shelving units were installed to free additional room for selling and stock. Kid-inspired “building block” cubes are used for shoe display and storage, and similar shapes are repeated in a block-inspired carpet pattern (made of easily replacable 18-inch carpet tiles) and blue rectangular panels that line the store's perimeter. A video montitor is built into fixturing to entertain young shoppers. The store's color palette includes primary colors complemented by light maple veneers for fixturing and wall units. Curved and grid-shaped elements are repeated in ceiling treatments, column entryways and furniture.
Design Team: Echeverria Design Group, Coral Gables, Fla.–Mario Echeverria, president/principal-in-charge; John Naranjo, senior designer/project manager. Stuarts-Kanter, Miami–Larry Hecht, president Suppliers: Fox Cabinet, Miami (fixturing); Pipp Mobile Storage Systems, Grand Rapids, Mich. (shelves); Wind Mill Woodworking Inc., Sheboygan Falls, Wis. (slatwall); Collins & Aikman Floorcoverings, Dalton, Ga. (carpet); Buell Hardwood Floors, Dallas (wood flooring); Armstrong World Industries, Lancaster, Pa. (vinyl floors); Bisazza/Mosaico (entrance tiles); Stylmark, Minneapolis (accent metal); Virginia Glass Products (entrance doors); USG Interiors Inc., Chicago (ceiling grids/panels); MKC Hardware Inc., St. Laurent, Que. (door pulls); Hemisphere (cabinet pulls); S. Harris & Co., Tulsa, Okla. (fabric covers); The Sherwin Williams Co., Cleveland (paint); Showcard Group (light boxes)