The Peak Issue No 4- Final Draft

A FUTURE OF CHANGE
A LOOK INTO STORE REFRESHES
Our stores are the face of our brand. Our customers formulate an
impression of our brand and our products through their experience
as soon as they walk through our front doors. Each and every
store represents an image that The North Face brand prides itself
on. An image of how we want to be known in the technical outdoor
retail landscape.
And so, it is imperative that our stores have immaculate standards
within an organic and authentically styled environment. This was
the goal we set forth when making the decision to refresh our
stores. And this is the goal we continue to strive towards, every
day.
As part of the refresh, store teams go through extensive training in
three major areas: Rigging and Styling, Merchandising, and Lighting.
Learning things like the importance of mannequin groupings
and fixture placement, the importance of differing color stories as
a way of identifying each territory, and the importance of various
technical rigging techniques while utilizing TNF and OV product
simultaneously.
They also learn things like when to (and when not to) use the
Rule of 5 for hanging items, how visual merchandising is an equal
balance of creative aesthetic and business strategy, and how
to create a continuous flow between mannequins, fixtures, and
merchandising. They learn how to use lighting to attract and guide
customers into and through the store, draw attention to specific
merchandise, mannequins and creative presentations, and how
to highlight features and displays, enhance colors, textures and
forms.
In 2016, we completed seven store remodels. And, although there
were some learnings, the outcome of those refreshes were spectacular.
This year, in an effort to provide our customers with a
premium shopping experience that is true to our heritage, we will
continue to refresh stores and will complete eighteen remodels by
the end of the year.
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