Observatio

n

Lab:

Experientia

l

Learnin

g

Please Join Me on My Visit to: Sur La TableAll things CULINARY and GASTRONMIC for the Chef Wannabes among us

As you will soon see, it BEGINS WELL but quickly DETERIORATES!

HOW CAN I FIND

ANYTHING IN THIS

STORE?

More OVERSTIMULATION!!

COSTCO FEEL:

Sur La Table

Prices

BARGAIN BASEMENT ?

EEWW!!

Is this WALMART:

Seriously?

FIELD NOTES: Sur La Table

OBSERVATIONS NO room to navigate

isles Merchandise EXPLOSION CHEAP DISCOUNT

STORE VIBE Pricey, Colorful Stuff Minimal Customer

Service Urban Location Corporate & impersonal

FEELINGS/ACTIONS

Overwhelmed Crowded out Unsettled Distracted Over-stimulated I Don’t want to shop I CAN’T WAIT TO

ESCAPE THIS URBAN JUNGLE

NO PURCHASES MADE

Please Join Me on My Visit to: Columbia Sports Outlet Stores

A STORE FOR THE OUTDOORS!

I visited one URBAN and one SUBURBAN location to COMPARE and CONTRAST

Lots of Cool S

tuff to

Stay WARM

Adventurous M

EN

STAY WARM

ACTIVE WOMEN

GET WARM

Fleece but not F

leeced

STORE INSPIRES ADVENTURE

For ALL

FIELD NOTES: Columbia Outlet Stores

OBSERVATIONS Neat, well-organized

layout Lots of Colorful Gear Balance between

space/merchandise Navigable Helpful staff Promotes Active Lifestyle

and Adventure for all ages/genders

Quality Stuff @ great $ Corporate but NOT totally

IMPERSONAL

FEELINGS/ACTIONS

Relaxed Energized Intrigued Motivated Lingered,

touching/exploring stuff Desire for adventure Want to BUY THEIR GEAR! Signed up for REWARDS

CARD Bought STUFF $$$

COMPARE: Columbia Outlets URBAN: drew me in more with MORE SPACE,

better layout, more merchandise, more relaxed feel due to expansive spatial arrangement. Women’s/Children’s Clothing: UPSTAIRS Men’s, Shoes, Accessories: DOWNSTAIRS Modern Feel, Semi-Industrial Design, RENNOVATED

Older building- MORE CHARACTER Engaging staff but not in your face. Left with a bunch of gear (paid for it of course!).

SUBURBAN: less engaging, more eager to leave. Less promotion of active lifestyle. Less character of store and strip mall ambiance Sales people more rote and faux cheerful (bah

humbug) Did not spend money

Please Join Me on My Visit to NIKE Sports Outlet Store

A Store with PHILOSOPHY and COOL GEAR and DISCOUNT PRICES

WORDS TO SW

EAT BY

Be INSPIRED

PERSPIRE

RECYCLE

REPLACE

History Lesson

Motivate and Pay

FIELD NOTES: Nike Sports Outlet Store

OBSERVATIONS Motivate& Inspire,

Philosophy throughout Recycles Old Shoes Navigable/Organized Appealing & Colorful Approachable &

Accessible Shopping Helpful sales people Corporate but attempts

personalize Create NICHE spaces w/

SPECIALIZESD Merchandise

FEELINGS/ACTIONS

Excited Inspired Motivated Relaxed Cheerful Touch and Feel Linger in Store, Soak up

FUN VIBE Want to get active Want to (and did) buy

their stuff

Please Join Me on My Visit to: SOCK DREAMS

A Store where DREAMS about socks and gloves really do come true

SOCKALICIO

US

Is Alice WONDERLAND?

NOT JUST FOR:

The Can Can ?

TICKLE ME

WHIMSO

CKICALLY YOURS

Warm H

ands

Warm Legs

= happy heart

PHILOSOCKPHY 101

PHILOSOCKPHY 201

One of Many FUN

Purchases

FIELD NOTES: Sock Dreams

OBSERVATIONS TOUCH, TOUCH, TOUCH UNIQUE PERSONAL FEEL Creativity Personified Cleverly Arranged

Merchandise MAGIC & WHIMSY in

every corner For young and old, male

and female Wonderful repurposing of

space and storage units

FEELINGS/ACTIONS

Tickled Inspired Explorational Playful Amused Child-like Joyful Want to BUY (and I did) Got FREE SOCKS for

spending lots of $$ Want to LINGER and

hover

Please Join Me on My Visit to: TILDE Boutique

A Store embodying the essence of CREATIVITY in every way.

All products by Local Artists & Artisans

Much to

Explore

Hand Made

Hair Clips: SO PRETTY

Artistic Wares

And Artist’s Notes

RECYLE,

REPURPOSE,

& Create ART

FIELD NOTES: TILDE BOUTIQUE

OBSERVATIONS ARTISTIC and

ARTISANAL UNIQUE Educational Special Gifts Open, Airy Feel Museum-like Spacious Knowledgeable Staff

FEELINGS/ACTIONS

Curiosity Personal Delicate Reticent & Halting Senses Stimulated Cautious about Touching Conspicuous Can’t get lost in the

crowd or in the stuff Afraid to Linger

Discoveries: Some stores do more they just SELL wares,

THEY: MOTIVATE US INSPIRE US ENCOURAGE US EDUCATE US RECYCLE our old stuff REPURPOSE old things into new ones TICKLE us with WHIMSY, PLAY, and

POSSIBILITY TEASE our Spirits TOUCH our Hearts with CHILDLIKE WONDER Remind us of CREATIVITY at work

Some STORES: SELL a PHILSOPHY or LIFESTYLE along

with their goods; ENCOURAGE or DISCOURAGE us from

roaming, exploring, meandering about; OVER- or UNDER-whelm our SENSES via

mass or sparse merchandise, staff attention, and use of space;

Elicit and evoke POWERFUL EMOTIONS affecting our sense of well-being, equilibrium, and our purchasing decisions

To My SURPRISE The HIGH END store (SLT) felt like a mass

merchandised, discount chain that flooded the senses. Expensive toys were piled HIGH and DEEP, impossible to explore, appeared cheap. Urge to LEAVE, not LINGER

The DISCOUNTED OUTLET STORES felt inviting, attractive, artful, and welcoming with attentive staff, beautiful, well merchandised space, high quality well priced goods and a PHILOSOPHY encouraging HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, Role Models, and COMMUNITY SUPPORT. Urge to LINGER, not LEAVE.

Presented by:

Mindy Mechanic

“ The real discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes” – MARCEL PROUST

DOLLARs SEPNT: $250

VALUE OF EXPERIENCE:

PRICELESS