Some stores I love. In a hurricane!

1. Crash Course on Creativity
Observation Lab
Before you enter the store:
Does the store draw you in? Yes.. If so, how? It’s a welcoming store with wide doors and
good lighting
Is the door open or closed? The door is closed. The store is open. I’m OK with that.
How does this make you feel? Relieved, if not “great.”
How big is the sign lettering and in what font? Store lettering is about 18 inches high, or
so.
What does it tell you about the store? They do not want potential customers to be
confused about the purpose of the business.
Environment:
What is the color scheme of the store? How does this affect you? Very basic. Black,
white, red, chrome, glass. Clean lines, clean appearance. I like the store. It feels as though
they do what they do well.
What type of floor does the store have? Big black and white tiles. They are shiny and
well cleaned. How does this effect the environment? I like this, because they sell
packaged and prepared food, and I feel like a clean store is a good start to doing these
things.
How high is the ceiling? Probably 11 feet high or so. How does this feel? I feel like they
want you to be comfortable, but not get comfortable.
How brightly lit is the store? Very well lit. How does this affect you? I feel as though it is
clean and safe. It would take a concerted effort to affront and surprise these people.
How loud is the environment? Quiet. There is a TV, but the noise in the store comes from
the bustle of the clients.
What is causing the noise? It’s the sound of money.
Is there music playing? Some music. Mostly seems to appease the youngest member of
the family who is working at the store. She seems to like her Top 40! If so, does it fit the
environment? I would say so.
Is the store warm or cold? Always feels right. Warm in the winter when it is cold out,
cool in the summer when you need a blast of AC.
Is the store crowed with merchandise or is it sparse? Sparse but well maintained and with
a good variety.
Does the store have a distinctive smell? No
Where is the cash register located? To the left, when you walk in the door, the door
pushes in so that you are facing the people who run it.
How visible is the store security? Understated yet understood.
How long do you want to stay in this store? 10 minutes, no more.
Does the environment influence the perceived value of the merchandise? Yes. It is clean
and they have products that are in line with what I would buy. It’s expensive for things I
do not shop for there, but in a pinch, they carry them at a fair price.
Personnel:
How long does it take before a sales person initiates contact? No longer than 30 seconds.
Does the salesperson have a script to follow with each customer? No. They treat you as
you treat them. The customer creates the environment.
Does the salesperson treat different customers differently? No. Always friendly and

2. giving he benefit of the doubt.
What is the ratio of salespeople to customers? It’s a small store. 5 to 1 at most. It is a
store that constantly has people floating in and out with their selection of deli, beer,
candy, lottery, soda, bread, and whatnot.
What age and gender are the employees? 2 brothers aged 29–40 or so. 1 sister in her late
teens.
Are the salespeople using the store products? Never in front of the customers, though I
assume they use what they sell.
Do the salespeople have a uniform? No
Do the salespeople match the stores image? Yes. A full-service neighborhood deli and
bodega.
Products:
What is the first product that you notice? The items they have on sale.
Is there a central display table with featured products? No
Where are items that are “for sale” located in the store? No
How are the products arranged? By function? By price? By color? Function for sure.
Soda, beer, chips, canned goods, paper goods, deli items, from the most expensive to the
least expensive.
Are there free samples or demonstrations? No
What products are at eye level? Soda, beer, deli, candy, chips, canned goods, bread. The
items that you most need or want conveniently.
What items in the store are in the least accessible locations? Screwdrivers, mousetraps,
super glue
Where are the most and least expensive products located? High up. Paper towels and
toilet paper
Are the prices of the products easy to find? No, but they always seem fair, and I am
stickler for price. Will not pay $3.50 for a quart of half and half when I know I can get it
for $3.00 down the street.
Are there impulse items near the cash register? Yes. Candy, ice cream, lottery tickets, and
cigarettes.
Customers:
Are most customers alone or with someone else? What is the relationship? Mostly alone,
sometimes with a friend.
What is the average age and gender of the customers? 35 years old, male
When a customer enters the store, do they tend to walk in the same path or direction? Say
hello and do what you came there to do / get what you came there to buy
How long do customers stay in the store, on average? 3 minutes
Do customer touch the products? Is this encouraged? No. If you want to buy something
that you do not normally, they encourage you to do so.
Do most customers appear to be on a mission or are they browsing? Mission, for sure.
What percent of customers purchase products in the store? As far as I can tell, 100%
Other Observations: It’s a great, clean, updated, family-run neighborhood
bodega / corner store. Very nice. Well run and fairly priced.