Sergio Mannino Studio's design for the new Shoebox store in Wheatley Plaza is a combination of mainstream and offbeat, creating a unique environment where colors and subtleties abound to make shopping an exhilarating experience.
A series of over 200 wall panels of various colors and functions are installed in a grid throughout the space; each panel-finished either in shiny lacquer, fabric or linoleum-can be repositioned on the grid, much like pixels on a screen. Virtually thousands of color and material combinations are possible, giving the store not only the fully functional flexibility so necessary in the retail industry, but also the possibility of creating different moods simply by combining colors and materials.
The walls behind the panels stand out thanks to their bright green tone, which is continued in a heavy velvet curtain behind the cashiers' desk - a floor-to-ceiling sculptural piece mirrored on the storefront display.
The center of the store is a seating area and display unit lit by a series of Paolo Rizzatto's Costanza lamps, which help give the space a homey feel and are also a nod to the world of Italian design, a recurrent reference in all the Studio's projects.
This new design, which has already debuted in South Korea, Vietnam, and Kuwait, will be implemented in all the upcoming locations in the United States and around the world. Shoebox New York - managed by Nexcen Franchise Management, Inc. - is being franchised throughout the US and abroad.
Concept Design: S. Mannino, F. Bruni, F. Scalettaris
Photographs: Sergio Mannino Studio