VMSD Magazine

Since its inception in 1897, VMSD has been a vital resource for retail professionals, offering the latest and most creative concepts in retail design, visual displays, innovative products, merchandising tactics, and industry updates. Established by American author L. Frank Baum, VMSD honors the intricate blend of art and science in retail design, leveraging over 120 years of experience to provide valuable insights and inspiration from top industry leaders. Additionally, VMSD organizes the annual International Retail Design Conference (IRDC), a key educational and networking event designed for those involved in store design and visual merchandising. This conference attracts hundreds of participants from both the U.S. and around the world. To learn more about IRDC, please visit irdconline.com.

Trade/B2B

English

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#1732563

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#770339

Business and Consumer Services/Business Services

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Articles

Bidding Adieu to South Congress Books

2 weeks ago | vmsd.com | Kathleen Jordan

As they were pulling together the store environment for their first location of South Congress Books, on South Congress Avenue in Austin, owners Sheri Tornatore and Allison Faust recall hearing passersby remark that its future success was dubious. After all, the year was 2011, which saw the bankruptcy filings of Borders Books and Waldenbooks, followed by that of B. Dalton in 2013.
Keep On Moving

2 weeks ago | vmsd.com | Eric Feigenbaum

Movement is a dynamic element that has been in the toolbox of visual merchandisers since the profession began. Nothing attracts attention more than movement. And if you wanted motion in your window displays, interior presentations – or in a celebratory holiday extravaganza – Lou Nasti was your guy. Raymond Mastrobuoni was a dear friend and colleague of Mr. Nasti. Ray created magic on Fifth Avenue for 40 years as the window designer for Cartier.
On Our Radar: Birkenstock, Boston

2 weeks ago | vmsd.com | Olivia Taylor

BIRKENSTOCK (LINZ, GERMANY) opened its latest brick-and-mortar store on Boston’s Newbury Street, located in the city’s historic Back Bay neighborhood. Its opening in November 2024 coincided with Birkenstock’s 250th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, its design pays homage to the brand’s heritage materials – leather, felt and cork – which bring texture and warmth to the space.
Portfolio: Grid Coffee, Chengdu, China

2 weeks ago | vmsd.com | Lauren Mang

ESCAPING THE HUSTLE and bustle of city life might not be easy in Chengdu, China – the fourth most populous city in the country with more than 20 million residents – but Grid Coffee, a coffee shop with a compact footprint inside the sprawling six-story, mixed-use development The Ring, provides a scenic escape. “We tried to create a sense of being immersed in a relaxed [natural] ambience,” says Darren Xu, Founder of Shanghai-based design company Spider Creative, which designed the space.
On the Road Again

1 month ago | vmsd.com | Eric Feigenbaum

MY RECENT JOURNEY to Australia began several decades ago when I answered an advertisement for a display trimmer; a temporary position for the holiday season. After graduating from college with a degree in fine art, I set up a painting studio in Brooklyn, that magical borough of New York City. All was fine with the world, but to support my painting, I wanted to find a job related to art.
Portfolio: Kroger, Union, KY

1 month ago | vmsd.com | Georgia Mizen

CINCINNATI-BASED GROCER Kroger is proving that liquor shopping doesn’t have to be dull. By unveiling a sophisticated redesign at its Union, Ky., location, the retailer has turned its Wine & Spirits department into a destination in its own right. Teaming up with design firm BHDP (Cincinnati), beverage powerhouse E&J Gallo Winery (Cincinnati) and other fabrication experts, Kroger has created a space that’s sleek, stylish and surprisingly posh – without losing its signature approachability.
Food Fundamentals

1 month ago | vmsd.com | Carly Hagedon

GROCERY SHOPPING IS essential: Most folks make some kind of regular mission to their local grocer, whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Even if your preferred method of grocery shopping is curbside pick-up, chances are you still find yourself inside a grocery store from time to time. Grocery shopping tends to become second nature, habitual – routine. But “routine” doesn’t need to be synonymous with “boring.” In our annual Sector Spotlight focusing on groceries and supermarkets (pg.
Visual Merchandising and Store Design

2 months ago | vmsd.com | Olivia Taylor

INSPIRED BY THE rhythmic waves of music and the visual energy of pop art, the newly renovated public restroom on the fifth floor of Deji Plaza shopping center in Nanjing, China, utilizes dynamic AV effects to immerse guests in a lively yet comfortable atmosphere. Blue and white circular patterns cover both the walls and floor leading to the waiting area, where mirrors are installed overhead to create a hypnotic illusion of symmetry.
A Healthy Design Solution

2 months ago | vmsd.com | Eric Feigenbaum

In a rapidly changing and demanding post-pandemic world, consumers are searching for new ways to reinvent themselves. One health clinic called Awake, located in the Jardins section of São Paulo, an upscale neighborhood in the sprawling Brazilian city, offers a pathway to a healthier lifestyle in a positive environment. More than a clinic, Awake represents a movement to transform health and well-being through knowledge, science and technology.
The Markopoulos Circle Connects Retail Design and Museum Exhibition

Feb 12, 2025 | vmsd.com | Eric Feigenbaum

In an annual mid-January celebration, an esteemed group of design professionals met at the Ralph Pucci Showroom in New York City to mark the 27th presentation of the coveted Markopoulos Award. One of the most prestigious recognitions in the retail design industry, the award is named in honor of the late Andrew Markopoulos and has been presented each year since 1997 to exceptional individuals in the retail design industry.