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Posted Sep 20, 2017, 2:21 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Philadelphia
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Boyds undertakes $10M transformation, largest in its 80-year history
Quote:
A year away from turning 80, Boyds has launched a top-to-bottom initiative to not only reinvent what its Chestnut Street store in Center City looks like but how the store does business.
It’s not exactly out-with-the-old and in-with-the-new, but the rebranding effort is the most significant undertaking the retailer has made in its history. This is no small matter to Ken Gushner, who is the third generation to run Boyds and has his son, Alex, queued up to eventually take over what is a Philadelphia institution.
“We’re stepping out of our comfort zone here,” Gushner said. “We’re putting a new and modern face on who we are.”
As quickly as Gushner says that, he wants to make something clear. That new, modern face doesn’t mean what made Boyds the iconic brand that it is -— the attentive service, the expert tailoring, the relationships with customers, the Trussini collection of suits and Proenza Schouler dresses — will disappear. If there’s anything that both the father and son want to emphasize, it’s that those are the things that are the bread and butter of Boyds and will most certainly remain but be forewarned. Big changes are on the horizon.
At a time when many brick-and-mortar retailers are under duress, those with the financial resources, creative wherewithal and ability to be nimble are positioning themselves for a bright future. Count Boyds among those in that category.
Gushner and his team have been planning this transformation for three years and every part of the business was put under a microscope. At the end of the analysis, the conclusion was clear.
“I can’t be held back,” Gushner said. “The world is changing quickly and we need to evolve to stay at the forefront of the fashion business in Philadelphia.”
Boyds is spending in excess of $10 million renovating the interior and exterior of its 70,000-square-foot building at 18th and Chestnut that houses the store as well as back office operations. The blue canopy that has greeted customers and pedestrians along Chestnut Street for years will be a thing of the past but, like the 35 full-time tailors that pin suits and fit dresses, the valet parking stays.
Dave Schultz and Susan Davidson of DAS Architects Inc. have been working with Gushner and his team since the beginning on how best to change Boyds and prepare it for a future in retailing while not abandoning its roots.
It was done "with a lot of soul searching," Davidson said. "They are one of the world's greatest stores."
The exterior of the grand building that Boyds is located has such "beautiful architecture" that needed to be showed off and not hidden by the blue canopy, Schultz said. With that gone, the original facade will be more exposed and a new glass and metal canopy will be installed. The heavy glass doors at the entrance will be replaced with modern ones that are easier to open.
The interior will get a refresh that breaks out of what Gushner described as “old, stodgy and archaic” to something more contemporary.
Better lighting will highlight the merchandise and some decorative lighting will be hung. Existing built-in displays will be pulled out and new mill work installed. Video screens will be put in to showcase models wearing clothes sold at the store.
The architects aren't releasing renderings so much of the completed work will be a surprise and even a bit of a spectacle. "It won't be recognizable," Davidson said. "The experience will be completely different."
For the first time in Boyds’ history, the first floor will not showcase men’s clothing but rather women’s. Right now, women’s apparel accounts for about 20 percent of its business and Gushner believes the store can double that while still having about 60 percent of sales come from men’s clothing.
“One of our largest obstacles is that so many view Boyds as a men’s store or a men’s store with a women’s department,” he said.
Boyds also plans to expand its line of what the Gushners described as “sophisticated sports wear” and has redesigned its fourth floor into a temporary space that it is testing out. It has more of a raw industrial look along with a wall of graffiti. The music is a little edgy.
The idea behind this experiment is to attract a new, younger audience.
Boyds wants to draw multiple generations to its store and will sell at different prices points to lure in younger shoppers who are willing to pay $300 for a pullover or blouse but maybe not $2,500 for a suit or dress. At least, not at this time. The theory is to hook them on Boyds while they are young professionals and grow with them as they mature and make bigger salaries.
The interior renovations – like the graffiti on a wall, and layout also seeks to accomplish something else.
“When you talk about brick-and-mortar retail, it should be fun,” said the younger Gushner, who helped design that space. “You can’t just be about the product. I wanted the space to be fun, inviting and invigorating.”
To that end, Boyds plans to, for example, have tailors on display on one of the floors to give customers a peek at them while they work. The tailors typically toil away in a sunlit room on the fifth floor. Museum-like displays, such as one on fabric, will be incorporated into the space.
Beyond the physical changes, for the first time, Boyds will launch a website where customers could eventually order a scarf, shirt or bag. The website now is a static run down of the designers the store carries and services it provides.
While the retailer has always focused on selling clothes and related items, it has also decided to delve into a totally new line as a way to grow business and attract new customers. It plans to add high-end home, health and beauty products to its roster of offerings.
If things go well, then Boyds will set its sights on taking it to yet another level.
Boyds is at the beginning stages of this transformation. The renovations to the Chestnut Street store are scheduled to be completed by next September, but this is a 5-year plan that is being executed. Next up will be to look into opening a store in the suburbs, maybe in some place like Wayne, which is not so close that it will cannibalize the Center City store but bring in a customer who doesn’t venture frequently to Boyds in Philadelphia.
“This is building a new store,” the elder Gushner said, not just referring to the physical renovations. "We're trying to alter the perception of the store."
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https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...s-gushner.html
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