Jorge Gonzalez Garcia, Team 14103

1. CRASH COURSE IN CREATIVITY
Jorge Gonzalez-Garcia
Team 14103, jgg2525@gmail.com,
October 31, 2012
Assignment Two: Are You Paying Attention?,
Prof. Tina Seelig, Venture Lab,
Stanford University
“To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.” Marilyn vos Savant
INTRODUCTION
I visited six stores in a commercial district near the University of Arizona campus in Tucson. The retail area is extensive,
reflecting the buying power of a community of 35,000 plus students in walking distance of the location. I felt comfortable
doing the assignment in all respects except one--taking photos inside the stores. I know from experience that many
chain stores have policies in place that restrict photos inside their retail locations. That leaves only local stores, all with
varying rules from place to place. In the end, I decided to just go ahead, play it by ear and trust my instincts. I focused
on the assignment: insights, surprises and opportunities. This is what I observed.
POSNER’S ART STORE
This is an art supply store that has recently relocated to a
more upscale retail location across from the main entrance
to the university campus. It’s a small store, and the way it is
organized seemed to suggest a work still in progress. The
staff people who offered to help me were very amiable. I told
them I was looking for a certain kind of pen. They didn’t have
it, but they looked and looked. These are clerks who are
happy just to have a part-time job that helps them earn a
little money for basic student living expenses. The amount of
inventory was small and scattered. This is not a business
flush with cash. More like a marginal business determined to
whether the storm, and hopefully make it to more prosperous
times ahead. If Posner’s survives it will be in large part
because the owners make sure to hire friendly, helpful staff.
They clearly like being in an art supply store and interacting
with customers involved with creative projects.

2. Crash Course in Creativity, pg. 2
CAMPUS ATHLETIC
This is a store that caters to the sports fans of the
university community. The shelves are filled with the red
and blue clothing and accessories students like to buy to
show their loyalty. There was only one staff person the day
I visited. I offered her my shoulder bag to keep behind the
counter as I went in. It occurred to me that this security
policy was in place because of the lean staffing put in
place by the owners. The shelves and tables were all well
stocked, but I could not tell where the men’s section was
in relation to the women’s section. This was the only store I
visited that had a distinctive smell. It was a strong
detergent odor, like you might find in a Laundromat.
I’m pretty sure the clerk doesn’t even notice it anymore.
LANDMARK MEN’S CLOTHING
This is a men’s clothing store with a lot of history in this
commercial area near the university. Located inside a large
house built fifty or sixty years ago, the store is definitely
showing its age. There are few men’s clothing stores left,
even at the shopping malls. The large department stores
have taken most of their business. The few that are left are
all struggling and Landmark is no exception. There was only
one staff person there when I arrived. He was an older
gentleman seated at the front counter, and he was holding a
small dog. He offered assistance in a hesitant kind of way.
I looked around and saw a reasonable amount of inventory.
At the same time, the carpeting was worn and the wood
paneling was old and scratched. Everything seemed to be a
bit old and musty. I thought to myself: this business is very
much on its last legs. Maybe it will last another six months.

3. Crash Course in Creativity, pg. 3
URBAN OUTFITTERS
This is hip clothing store located about a block from
the university campus. The name suggests a kind of
city edginess in style and inventory, and the interior
does not disappoint. The floors are unfinished
concrete, and some of the shelves are rough-hewn
wood. This is retail operation that knows its customers,
and the mix of clothing, shoes and accessories reflects
that. There are men’s and women’s sections, with the
women’s area taking up about three quarters of the
space. A surprise was a small vintage consumer
electronics section with items like record players and
instant cameras using Polaroid type film. There was
also a novelty gift and book section with a humorous
theme running through it. For example, a book of
foreign cuss words for the world traveler caught
suddenly at a loss dealing with a rude cab driver.
SCENTED LEAF TEA HOUSE
This is the tea drinker’s answers to Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donut.
One whole wall displayed open containers of loose teas from
around the world. The small space was crowded with students and
faculty from the university enjoying their afternoon tea and dessert.
The owners must be betting on demand among tea drinkers for a
café alternative given the 35,000 plus university population only a
couple of blocks away. There was only one staff person, a young
man in his mid-twenties. He had a line of customers waiting for
their drinks, and another line of folks waiting to order. The store
was well organized and nicely decorated, with a well-stocked
refrigerator case with desserts and various flavors of cheesecake
for those unable to resist the temptation. The menu selection
included both tea and coffee drinks, perhaps in recognition that tea
drinkers are still in the minority on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

4. Crash Course in Creativity, pg. 4
AMERICAN APPAREL
This store is a smaller version of an Ambercrombie &
Fitch. The space was not large, but fairly well stocked
with clothing reflecting the tastes of young college
students in the Southwest. A couple of staff people
asked me if I needed help. They were both friendly and
professional. The second one said that they also
carried vintage items, and pointed to a selection of
older style Casio watches. That was surprising,
because the styles looked to be from the 80’s and
90’s. Also, it was to hard to tell where the men’s
section left off and where the women’s section started.
Apparently, the designers have decided that this bit of
ambiguity is just fine with their clientele.
“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that
will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision
against those who play it safe, the creatures of the
commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.”
Cecil Hardy Beaton
END