JHC

This is one iteration of a new store concept for Verizon entitled “Discovery” - The idea being a store curated with high quality product on high quality touch points/materiality. We strayed away from the usual white, greys, reds, from the previous store design and introduced new wall fixturing and table systems.

Underneath the surface we are considering touchless/digital technologies to enhance the customer experience.

Verizon hasan in-house creative agency that is able to guide the design of the fleet roll-out which is handled by another team outside of the agency. My role here was to imagine the free standing version of a Verizon store and recommend standard exterior design elements such as panel and seam locations, logo placement, exterior lighting, and materiality. This would be handed over the the AOR in charge of building new store locations as a reference guide.

One of my favorite projects working at Verizon’s 140 Creative Studio was the San Francisco project where myself and a team of 5 creative directors were given freedom with a large budget to come up with something unique. At the time Verizon’s current flagship store type had lived its life, and headquarters was anxiously looking to update the look and feel of the Verizon experience. Our team spent several months researching the trends of retail, and how technology is changing the industry. We decided to simplify the brand by striping down the materials and colors, and re-focusing on something more simple. A clean palate of whites, grays, and the iconic red. We modernized the fixtures and re-thought the merchandising approach, creating more of an experience as you shopped throughout the store.

As a lead designer on this store type, I was excited to get a brief asking to conceptualize a “Grab and Go” type store where the customer could quickly purchase equipment and accessories without the need to interact with a human.

Our current stores serve as a place where customers can do anything from purchase new equipment, accessories, trouble shoot their tech issues, pay bills, and sign up for new services. These services require large staffing and create longer wait times which is why we decided to create a store that was more focused on accessories and equipment.

The concept was prototyped and 8 stores have been built so far, ultimately this retail concept was a success and has won several design awards.

One thing I would like to consider in this type of environment is how to engage a customer to increase sales even when there aren’t the traditional sales agents. Could we use AI, AR, VR, or some other digital medium.

At Verizon’s 140 creative group we are often able to explore different ideas, most of which never make it to Market for one reason or another. This is a concept I helped design that I am super proud of. We took the angle of Verizon’s check and implied it throughout the space to create this beautiful future retail concept. 

We were asked to to a light update on the 2016 Next Generation store design concept: We updated the aisleway fixtures and brought in warmer, darker tones, while leaving the perimeter fixtures in place. We introduced an experience zone in the back that could be used to support the latest trends in retail experiences.

We are currently designing future iterations of Verizon taking into consideration the changing economy and the new desire for touchless and digital interfaces. This is one of the many designs that we have developed but not yet built.

I have been a lead designer on the next generation fleet of Verizon Stores since 2016. I helped in design iterations, material sourcing, prototyping, visualization, merchandising, and environmental graphics.

This is one iteration of a new store concept for Verizon entitled “Discovery” - The idea being a store curated with high quality product on high quality touch points/materiality. We strayed away from the usual white, greys, reds, from the previous store design and introduced new wall fixturing and table systems.

Underneath the surface we are considering touchless/digital technologies to enhance the customer experience.

My first big box store design experience was with Forever 21. I worked on the store design team and a junior store designer and visual display artist. I helped with CEO presentations and went on many build outs as part of the roll out team. We would install the visual merchandising campaigns and make sure the fixtures were installed and placed correctly. I also was a lead designer on the Red21 concept which rolled-out in many US cities.

I worked on a project with the architect of Azzedine Alaia at the beginning of my design career. I helped visualize the art, furniture, and displays during the concepting stage. This project opened up the opportunity to work with several top retailers in NYC such as Tommy Hilfiger and Micheal Kors.

“Paris-based interior architect Pierre Granger created the store’s minimalist and prisitine white setting, and decorated it with carefully sourced furniture pieces by various notable designers – including tables by Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Paulin’s modular shelving and clothing racks by Martin Szekely – to create a distinct gallery feel. The most notable piece is an intricately crafted chandelier by artist Kris Ruhs which dangles three storeys down in the stairwell.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic our team quickly came up with a touchless shopping strategy that inloved mostly removing of displayed product in socially distanced zones, covering up wall bays and using imagery to communicate our safety measures.

We were honored with a Forbes award for our quick and measured response.

I feel like we could of done even more, especially if we have a solid technology messaging infrastructure which I believe can be achieved by using AR, or digital experiences in the future.

I pitched a design to EBAY for their motor company business. This was a design that I won early in my career and that traveled all over the world to tradeshows promoting their Ebay Motor channel.

Here are designs I pitched to PETCO for their yearly employee benefit conference. I came up with three different looks that highlighted each segment of the events that included live entertainment, key notes, and awards.