Using Retail Millwork Design to Create Stores that Sell

Elevate your retail experience to create a store people want to visit

If all you want to do is buy a thing, you can do this online. Browse, click buy, and hey presto it’s delivered the same or next day. Sure you have the thing, but not much else. You miss out on the emotion of the thing.

And this is where brick-and-mortar retail wins. Giving you the emotion, that intangible feeling that comes with walking into a store and feeling welcomed, supported, and comfortable. No website can give you this.

The human touch. An environment that feels just right. Customers and retail employees who have the same interests as you. Community. A sense of belonging.

This is the power of retail millwork design. Brands that create environments that connect with their customers understand that retail millwork is about more than just a row of shelves or display cases.

It’s in using retail millwork to speak for the brand. It’s in using shelving, display cabinets, signage, slatwalls, and furniture to elevate the shoes, cars, electronics, make-up, glasses, books, etc. to be more than just things. This is why people leave their houses and visit your store.

They want more than things. They want the intangibles that come with your brand and visiting your retail store. And to get this right you need professional millwork installers who know retail and understand that a shelf is more than just a piece of furniture.

What is Retail Millwork?

The simple definition (and the one that Google provides) is that retail millwork is shelving, display cabinets and cases, cabinets, point-of-sale systems, signage, slatwalls, furniture, molding, and trim.

But, at Dynamic, we know millwork is more than this. Millwork represents your ethos, brand, and mission. This is what draws people to your store and your brand. People want to be what your aesthetic and store vibe represent.

Retail millwork done right helps people see themselves in your brand’s personality.

Each of these brands uses millwork differently, while still giving people that extra something they’re looking for:

Q New York, Aston Martin’s first flagship store, oozes ultra-luxury with a one-of-a-kind showroom where Saville Row meets Park Avenue
Ted Baker Amsterdam is the epitome of the bespoke design each Ted store is known for around the globe
Joe & The Juice is all about people and helping them live their best lives, and this is obvious across its global retail presence
Nike is known world-wide for their “Just Do It” and “There Is No Finish Line” slogans and these feelings of being able to achieve anything are brought to life in every single store

Millwork and Your Brand

The right millwork for your brand and customers must at a glance, nail each of these deliverables:

Brand Identity: a picture is worth a thousand words, and your picture is defined by the millwork you choose. The texture, finish, materials, and overall style tell your customers who you are and what you mean to them. Think of luxury brands using dark mahogany shelving, plush leather seating, and the latest in technology.
Aesthetic Appeal: compare the stark shelving used in Costco to how shelving, display cases, racks, and more are used in the Petco’s New York City flagship store. As soon as people walk in, they expect a specific experience and level of service.
Functional Design: your millwork needs to work for your products. Great millwork can help sell less-than-great products but sub-par millwork will let down even the best products.
Visual Merchandising: from the decompression zone, through the store and to the cash, your millwork should guide customers to your featured products, making it easy for them to browse and buy.
Personalization: from global brands to single retail stores, brand personality is a must-have. When choosing and installing your millwork remember your customers choose to shop in brick-and-mortar because they want to do more than buy a thing – they want community, identity, support, communication, and everything in between.

Modern Millwork Options

Your window display grabs attention and then it’s up to your millwork and fixtures to tell your brand story, differentiating you from your competitors. At Dynamic, our millwork installers are experienced with installing and maintaining a range of retail millwork options including:

Countertops and display units can be anything from glass display cases to interactive tabletops that let customers touch and use your products
Cabinets and shelving can include pull-out drawers, integrated lights, and be designed to fit your specific needs
Architectural millwork includes trim, molding, feature walls, and other design elements delivering both function and personality
Point-of-sale systems and cash wraps should make it easy for your customers to buy from you and interact with your sales team
Windows, doors, and store facades create an invitation to customers, encouraging them to walk into your store and get to know your brand
Furniture and seating are a must-have for brands who want to deliver a community atmosphere that encourage people to linger and get comfortable
Ceiling and wall treatments help guide people through your store, completing your branding package
Custom millwork can be anything you want from bespoke display cases to neon signs to glittering disco balls to a rock climbing wall

There are no limits on your retail millwork design options. This is how you bring your store to life – taking it from being more than a collection of things to an environment that connects, resonates, and supports your customers.

Luxury, eco-conscious, sporty, motivational, friendly, aspirational, or somewhere in-between – your brand identity needs to be reflected and reinforced with your millwork and fixtures. Your customers are counting on you to do this, they want you to give them more than they can get from a website.

Do not be the store that people use to showroom products. Be the destination retail store, the one people make time to visit on the weekend or add to their must-visit list when traveling.

At Dynamic, our unique combination of IN-HOUSE offerings makes us your single source provider for retail millwork and fixture installation needs. We have the people and expertise you need. No one understands installation better than we do.