Best Bathrooms in Retail

Lets be honest, when you're shopping, the quality of a retailer's bathroom takes on some significance. I can love my shopping experience, but if I walk into a messy, dirty bathroom, I'm turned off. Take grocery stores for instance. Typically, they're pretty awful. I'll only use Fred Meyer bathrooms if it's an absolute emergency. However, at a recent visit to QFC (incidentally, also owned by Kroger), I was pleasantly surprised. It was clean, tidy and even had hairspray, lotion and other goodies for my use. It was almost like the bathrooms at my favorite boutique hotel--Hotel Lucia. Okay, not quite, but it was nice.

Apparently, I'm not the only one rating retailers on their restrooms. Cincinnati-based Cintas Corp. holds a national "America's Best Restroom" contest each year. Cintas is a restroom hygiene products and services provider, which makes the contest a very clever marketing strategy for them. Ballots are cast online and include a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, hotels and casinos. Qualifying standards are based on outstanding hygiene, style and open access to the public. This year's winner of the 6th Annual Cintas Contest was none other than Fairfield, Ohio-based Jungle Jim's International Market. Check out the photo of Jungle Jim's bathrooms and you'll realize why they took the title. While from the outset the bathrooms appear to be port-o-potties (ick!), they're actually faking customers out. Upon entrance, guests are surrounded by an upbeat jungle motif, complete with 10 stalls, marble accents, green tile, fresh flowers and tropical artwork. A company spokesman said that Jungle Jim's is all about having fun--even when it comes to their restrooms. Now, that's the kind of retailer I want to shop at.

The other four finalists were Virginia Beach, Va.-based Catch 31, Las Vegas-based Mix Lounge at Mandalay Bay, followed by Proctor, Vt.-based Vermont Marble Museum, and Flushing, Mich.-based Fandangles'.

So, this got me thinking--who do WE think has the best bathrooms in retail? Lets say our criteria is based on style, creativity and cleanliness. Any ideas? I would love to hear your nominations. I recently visited Ulta (I know, when am I NOT shopping?!) and loved their restrooms. Very mod. But, unfortunately, I can name more retailers that don't meet this criteria, like Target, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer and Zupan's. So, help me out--which retailer's bathrooms do you love? Leave a comment with your nominations here.

--Heather Strang

Wool Wear in August?

Have I entered some kind of time warp, or is it really August 2007? Because if it is in fact, August, then can someone please tell me why wool pea coats and Halloween decorations are haunting the aisles of my favorite retailers? This weekend, I was in search of a cute summer dress at Nordstrom and then at Ross (Talk about two ends of the shopping spectrum, but I can't resist Ross's prices!). Instead of oodles of summer lovin' gear, I found sweaters, wool coats, opaque tights and knee-high boots. Sure, there was a smattering of skirts and capris, but mostly just the leftovers that no one else wanted. You know what I'm talking about--it's the clothes that look like the sales clerk nonchalantly tossed them onto the rack and then stuck a large, red Clearance sign on top. Now, all of the attention goes to the beautifully decorated and elegantly positioned racks of coats and other fall and winter goodies.

Retailers obviously have ants in their pants, and I'm more than a little irritated. I had to wear a sundress I already owned from last year. Horror of horrors! But, in all seriousness, what's the rush? It's still August and there's plenty of sunshine to be had. Lets not forget the gorgeous Indian summers that grace the West Coast, maybe even you East Coasters get them too. You know, warm days and deliciously cool evenings. I can't possibly don a wool pea coat for a late summer bonfire. The worst part is, that the new fall lines are anything but interesting. Faux fur--again? I thought we were over that. Of course, there's the endless amount of leather jackets, they never go out of style, except when it's SUMMER. Walking past racks of winter clothes depresses me. It also means, I leave the store empty handed...What kind of marketing tactic is that?!

I'm sure there's a fair amount of back-to-school-ers and their parents purchasing these winter goods, but I can't believe it's happening in large quantities. Although, my visit to Ross did resemble something like, "attack of the tweens and their exhausted parents," while Nordstrom had the rushed, desperate feeling of, "Hurry, get that piece of clothing before someone else does!" Back-to-school mania is certainly in high gear, but what about the rest of us spending our afternoons by the pool and searching for that perfect sundress? I'm positive someone, somewhere is doing this--it is after all, August--have I mentioned that?

If you've purchased a wool jacket, knee-high boots, opaque tights or a turtleneck recently, please leave a comment and let us know. If you're a retailer with an inventory full of winter gear in August, please clue me in on the logic behind this marketing ploy. I'm desperate to know...

--Heather Strang

DDI Tours American Girl Boutique and Bistro

At a press opening on August 17, 2007, American Girl unveiled its new retail concept--American Girl Boutique and Bistro--at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Ga. DDI magazine was at the press opening of the new 12,000-sq.-ft. store, which was designed by FRCH Design Worldwide and which is the first of its kind in the United States. American Girl Boutique and Bistro features a fun environment for girls and their moms (or dads, or whichever other family members are brave enough to take their little ones inside) to shop American Girl products and to also have brunch, lunch, dinner or dessert in the bistro. The store also features a Doll Hair Salon and private party rooms for celebrating birthdays and special events. Step inside the store with DDI and watch our exclusive tour of the American Girl Boutique and Bistro…

Chanel on a Budget

Corporations all across our county, indeed around the world, are wrestling with the disturbing rise of counterfeit goods flooding the market. Estimates suggest that counterfeiting is a $650 billion business. It’s an appalling practice, which is as foul as plagiarism. However, in truth, it is our own fault. We brought it on ourselves. America has sacrificed the sanctity of its unions, in deference to producing its goods in slimy off-shore operations. Which is why when you call information for the phone number for the tour desk at The Empire State Building, someone with an Indian accent in New Delhi will ask you where it’s located. Beyond the crass economic benefits to producing overseas, the darker side of the counterfeiting trade is that most manufacturing facilities in China, Pakistan, India and Indonesia (there are many others) often practice slavery. Often subjecting women and children to insufferable conditions. Lets agree that counterfeiting is wrong. I do take it seriously.

While I don’t lose sleep that conglomerates may loose sales, counterfeiting and piracy demeans the artistic integrity of great institutions. These great institutions like Rolex, Versace, Burberry, Coach, Kate Spade, Nike and Chloe, once exercised control over their own factories, but they, as have their colleagues, in an effort to raise their bottom lines, (i.e., profits) begun to rely on overseas manufacturers that use that cheaper labor base. Out of sight, out of mind. Counterfeiting will only get worse despite frequent crackdowns, raids and custom inspections.

That being said, I must confide I am a hypocrite. I’m as phony as the Louis Vuitton bags, two for $35, one for $21 on Canal Street in lower Manhattan. I appreciate the artistry of a good fake. Several museums have curated shows on fake masterpieces. Like Dolly Levi, “I have extravagant tastes, and a modest pocketbook,” which is why I love NY. I love the “Going Out Of Business Sales” that run for years; I love the free movies in Bryant Park. I love the TKTS Booth in Duffy Square, where you can always score 2 for 1 tickets for a Broadway Show. I love the street peddlers with designer cologne for $10. I stop by the guy at the card table presumably selling Tag Huer and Cartier tank watches, his and hers, for $25. You can get a Pashmina scarf for $5, or two silk ties. I have a white and lavender toile necktie that I’ve worn to death. New York is a bargain driven city. It’s these little pleasures that make this often tough city quite tolerable. We justify our naughty little purchases because of the rental of our miniscule studio apartments and the fare hikes on the subway. 

Which is why today I found myself in a moral quandary. On the corner of 38th and 8th was a practically authentic, almost real, copy, of a copy, of a copy of a Chanel, boucle jacket for just $4.99. Granted slightly reduced from the original version $1,500, which can be purchased at the Chanel Boutique on Prince Street. My fashion pulse began to race. Rest assured, Coco is writhing in her grave, and Jackie O is moaning from heaven, but their pain cannot compete with the squeals of joy as evidenced by tourists picking up a Chanelish treasure in saffron, bubblegum pink or butterscotch. Jackie was a New Yorker and would forgive me my trespasses. Gabrielle Coco Chanel is another matter; I’ll deal with her when I get to heaven. Christmas is just 126 days away, and my nieces from Cranford, N.J., will be as well dressed as Ashley Tisdale in “High School Musical in their faux Chanel jackets. I picked up three and still had enough change for a Venti Awake tea with soy at Starbucks. But wait, it gets better. In NY city we have a pesky 8.6 percent sales tax, which is why we penny-pinching New Yorkers schlep to N.J., to The Newport and Garden State Mall, to avoid our oppressive 8.6 percent. Please do not share this with Mayor Bloomberg, but the purveyor I purchased my Chanelized fashion treasure from didn’t even charge me sales tax. I practically got the vapors!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Enhancing or Hindering the Grocery Experience?

You may need a color-coded key card the next time you shop at Safeway. The lifestyle-focused retailer recently introduced its Eating Right label under the "theory" that the new label will make shopping for healthy foods easier, primarily because the labels shout out a food's nutritional benefits, like "High in Fiber" or "High in Protein." Finally, no more hours wasted reading boring nutrition labels! Instead, Safeway does the hard work for us by color-coding labels that indicate a food's health benefits. The company released the following as their color codes for the new Eating Right brand:

Light Blue = Low Fat
Royal Blue = Light
Red = Whole Grain
Yellow = Low Cholesterol

Whew! It's not really that much to remember, but why light blue and royal blue--couldn't we just stick to primary colors, people? As if grocery shopping wasn't challenging enough (I loathe it!), I'm not so sure Safeway's color-coded labels will make my life easier. But, being the true journalist that I am, I decided to give it a shot.

My first warning sign came when it was nearly impossible to find the "Eating Right" label anywhere in my local NW Portland, Ore. Safeway store; even though I had called in advance to confirm that they did in fact carry the new brand. After asking several employees where I might find this label, I was directed to the frozen foods section where--tada!--several Eating Right labels appeared, looking very much like Lean Cuisine's and/or South Beach's frozen meals. Hmm...competition, anyone? Right now, the frozen food section is the only location with Eating Right labels (at least at this store), but management indicated plans are in the works to expand into most grocery areas.

Pretty soon, we'll all be shopping in a Safeway store filled only with Safeway products. The retailer has an abundant amount of in-house brands, which cuts out the middle man and puts more cash in their pockets. Novel idea, eh? While Safeway used to carry 70 private brands, they've recently reduced that number to 10. As a consumer, that's still a lot of Safeway to stomach. But, on the flip side, in-house brands are more attractively priced and typically carry the same nutritional weight as their brand-name counterparts.

Besides the challenge of actually locating the Eating Right label, the store I visited was beautifully laid out and the staff was remarkably friendly. I even had a pleasant chat with my cashier about the wheat-free cereal I was purchasing. Imagine that--friendly checkers?! I left Safeway feeling fabulous about my shopping experience, and no amount of in-house labels or color codes can take that away from me!

--Heather Strang

Leave the Pets at Home

I truly love my dog and cat, but would I take them shopping? I think that the big pet stores and supercenters have really opened a can of worms for the rest of the world with their open door policy for pets. I understand that bringing Fido or whomever into a pet store makes good business sense, but why would people think that this makes it okay to bring their pets into every other store?

Recently I was out looking for some new furniture (well, if truth be told the wife was looking for new furniture, I was just being dragged along to pay the bill) when in walks a nice looking family, complete with kids and their dog. Now if it had been a nice big dog masquerading as a guide animal, okay. But this little yipper specimen was just obnoxious with its constant noise. But the part that was most concerning was the reaction of the store manager and his staff. The group was rather quickly told to leave the store and to not come back with the dog as there was a serious allergy problem to dogs that one staff member was suffering from and they would be held liable for any hospital bills that resulted from their visit. And did they apologize for their unthinking actions? No, they objected loudly and rather crudely to this ejection.

But it does raise an interesting point. Is it a right to bring your pet with you wherever you go? Should every store have to post their pet policy on their doors along with their hours and credit card preferences? Grocery stores and restaurants have always been no-pet zones, and when I was growing up (back in the Stone Ages it seems) my parents would never have allowed me to bring a pet with us when shopping, so why now does it suddenly seem that it’s okay? I think it goes back to the pet superstores and their heavy advertising budgets telling people to bring their pets into these stores, and now people seem to think that includes all stores. But there are other people in the world with allergy problems, too, and they don’t necessarily have staff members and teammates to run interference for them.

Thank goodness for the well trained working animals that act as eyes for the blind, ears for the deaf, and all of the other things that they do to help people live better lives, but can we please leave Fido and Mouser at home for casual shopping?

--Scott Caldwell, Guest Blogger

JCPenney Mixes It Up

"Style is like science, so start experimenting." These are just a few of the pearls of wisdom you'll find frolicking about on JCP's (as they're now known to the cool kids) Web site, at: jcp.com/mixitup.

To really mix things up, JCP has created a reality Web show called "Flipped." The show is hosted by clothing designers Chip and Pepper Foster, creators of the C7P line, and follows teen cliques at a New Jersey high school. Students are taped as they spend time outside of their usual clique donning completely different outfits, created by Chip & Pepper. The concept so obviously makes sense. I mean, if you're already mixing up your group of friends, why not change up your clothes as well?! You'll laugh and cry as you watch teen girls pressure the newbie into eating sushi (which she hates) or watch some snobby suburbanite talk about how she would rather be at a "house party" than playing mini golf with her new clique. But, hey, she looks good doing it--so who cares, right? There are eight Webisodes total, all appropriately titled, from "Back With the BFF's" to "Lip Gloss vs. Rifle Toss." If you're beginning to suspect that the reality Webisodes are simply ploy's to get teens to buy JCP clothes...well...you're exactly right.

But, have no fear, it doesn't end there! If kids aren't sure which clique they belong to--JCP has that covered, too. In the "Shop by Style" section, cliques are paired with the appropriate matching clothing style, like: Diva, Retro, Class Prez, Baller, Rockstar, Preppie, SK8R and Varsity. And just in case visitors don't feel comfortable boiling their entire self-worth into a label, they have the option to mix and match--add a little preppie to that diva outfit or ball out your class prez gear. Yikes!

The site also features mobile updates, "meet the characters" from each Webisode and online versions of JCP commercials. The new campaign, including the reality Webisodes, was developed by Saatchi and Saatchi in New York. All in all, I have to give them props--it's completely unlike anything J.C. Penney has done before. I love creativity and this campaign is seeped in it. Is it a little over the top? Absolutely. But, with all of the advertising that's running amuck these days, how else does a retailer catch the wandering eyes of a teenage market? While it may seem like a rhetorical question, it's not. If someone has the answer, do tell!

In the meantime, check out the JCP Mix It Up site and send us your thoughts.
Have a similar campaign running? Leave the link in our comments section so we can check it out.

--Heather Strang

High-Fashion & Retail Collide

Gap loves to cause a frenzy. So, what would make the release of their fall campaign any different? Utilizing a little star power, the apparel giant introduced their "Classics Redefined" campaign this summer featuring celebs decked out in Gap gear. They also utilized the photog skills of a certain photographer, you may have heard of her--Anne Leibovitz--to handle the dramatic portrayal of celebrities in wide leg trousers and v-sweaters. And, voila! Can you hear the dollars rolling in? Quite the combination for creating a killer retail marketing campaign.

Gap has all the elements: celebrities, award-winning photographer, black-and-white dramatic prints, and of course, a "new" fall line. I use the word "new" lightly, because honestly, everything at Gap looks exactly the same to me. I know this because I shop there regularly. In fact, I'm wearing Gap jeans as I write this. The "new" fall line is more of the same regular Gap style (which I love!) only prettied up with celebs and great photography. Keep your eyes peeled for:

-John Mayer in a sweater vest
-Lucy Liu in a little black sweater dress
-Liev Schreiber sporting the "Haberdashery" shirt
-Sarah Silverman (pictured), donning wide trousers
-Forest Whitaker, in the "Macintosh"
-Selma Blair, wearing a deep v-sweater
-Ken Watanabe, in a tailored white shirt
-Regina King, in a short-sleeved turtleneck
-Davis Guggenheim, wrapped in a v-sweater
-Twyla Tharp, wearing a french cuff shirt
-Marcel Wanders, snuggling in a soft tailored blazer
-Puffy (wait, there's more than one?!) AmiYumi, donning the wide leg jean

Okay, so I guess we're also using the term "celebrity" lightly, but you get the point. The photography alone will catch a consumer's eye.

But, would this stunning marketing campaign work for Kmart's fall line or JCPenney? Or is it simply the Gaps, Saks and Cartiers of this world that can successfully use celebs to hock their merchandise? In the instance of Kmart/JCPenney, if Anne Leibovitz took the snazzy black-and-white pictures of celebs (even people I've never heard of) I would pay attention. In all honesty, I would probably be more open to buying clothes from the retailer, based on the campaign. How very fickle of me! Turns out, pretty faces and photography affect my opinion of a retailer. On the other hand, Kohl's has teamed up with Fergie (yuck!) and so the opposite occurs--I'm completely turned off. But, Fergie in a B&W Leibovitz photo? Maybe...

What about the rest of you out there, are you as superficial as I am? Does this hot Gap campaign make you want to shop there? C'mon, let us know. It's your turn to share!

--Heather Strang

A Happy Camper

I cannot resist a sale. So when J.Crew ever so kindly sent me a reminder e-mail that its swimwear was on final sale and clearance, I just about started drooling. Earlier this summer, I purchased a gorgeous green two-piece suit (gotta love that mix-n-match style) from the J.Crew Web site, which by the way, has a really cool (and helpful) feature called Swimfinder that lets you search by all sorts of different categories and see the suits on actual bodies. I paid full price for the green number and was very pleased with my purchase--so when I saw the opportunity to snag the same two-piece (in a different color of course, I'm not that shop-crazy) at half the price, I jumped at the chance.

Now, the story gets a little sticky. I ordered the same exact style and size in the top and bottom pieces in a fabulous Flamingo pink (cause after a summer of pool weekends I can actually wear light colors without looking like a ghost now! Don't worry, I always wear some SPF). I excitedly awaited its delivery with easy satisfaction, knowing that no surprises were going to ruin this purchase. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The top of the suit ended up having a huge defect that made it unwearable, automatically sending me into a panic since this was a clearance item/final sale and NOT returnable. I immediately called the customer service line around 7 p.m. and was actually able to speak with a representative. I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful and nice she was to speak with. She placed a special comment under my order number and told me that I would be able to return the suit to a J.Crew store in my area and receive a full refund. Happy with her promise, I headed to a local J.Crew a few days later--still anticipating the ensuing fight with one of the sales associates. Again I was wrong, but this time I was glad that I was mistaken. I gave the associate my order number and receipt along with the suit, and he quickly refunded my money --including the shipping and handling! No problems whatsoever. Even though the purchase didn't work out, it was one of the most pleasant retail experiences I've ever encountered. I will most definitely continue to do business with J.Crew.

Sometimes I find that retailers and their Web sites are not always aligned when it comes customer service goals, return policies or even merchandise offerings. But when a retailer does have synergy with its e-commerce business and its brick-and-mortar locations, it can really boost customer loyalty--and sales. It's refreshing to see that some retailers are taking this to heart and are already making the brand experience one that is all encompassing. I am one happy camper, or more appropriately, one happy shopper. Which makes for one happy (read loyal) customer.

--Jessie Bove

Facebook Takes Over the Retail World

Adults have them, and so do kids. C'mon, I know you've seen the Dr. Phil where he rips into a mother of three because of her scandalous pictures on MySpace. Or what about the beauty pageant winner whose Facebook pictures were used as blackmail? Any way you cut it; social networking is H-O-T, hot. Wal-Mart is all over this, recently launching a "Roommate Style Match" group on Facebook to capture college kids on their way back to school.

Students can take a quiz to discover their "decorating style" and (ta-da!) receive a list of products they can buy at Wal-Mart that best reflects their style, and their roommates', of course. How smart is this?! Students can also search Wal-Mart's Web site for eco-friendly products or download a shopping list of dorm room pieces. The hip, new items can then be shipped directly to the school (no furniture hauling for dad), making life a lot easier for parents and kids. And let's be honest, mom and dad are going to be all over that, even if they don't have a Facebook account. This idea is absolutely brilliant--and I don't even shop at Wal-Mart.

In a world of Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, YouTube and a variety of social networking and media sites, retailers could benefit substantially from plugging in. Securing teen and college kids' dollars is extremely lucrative. Connecting with them on their own platform is invaluable. Apparently, Wal-Mart did its research, because according to the National Retail Federation, the average first-year college student spends $1,112.62 on back-to-school gear. Cha-ching. Who's in for setting up a MySpace account?

In the information age, creativity reigns and it won't be too long before other retailers catch on and start hiring bloggers, launching social networking promotions and posting YouTube videos. Times, they are a-changin'. While we're all just making this up as we go along, the pay-off is potentially huge. Only time will tell, and I look forward to seeing Wal-Mart's quarterly sales results, how about you?

Speaking of you--Are you a retailer that already uses social networking sites for promotion? If so, we'd love to hear about your campaign or your experience interacting with the Facebook/MySpace crowd. Leave a comment or e-mail us!

--Heather Strang