Life's a beach: a Florida dealer turns his hot retail showroom into a cool customer experience

Pool & Spa News, June 4, 2004 by Sharon Edry

For industry veteran Nils Erickson, a fortuitous move to a coastal community led to bigger things--namely, the opening of a new retail store (his third) two miles from the ocean.

While he didn't plan on entering the Daytona, Fla., market, the owner of Erickson Custom Pools & Spas found the lure of the city's demographics hard to resist. Three years ago, Erickson and Dave Allen, his general manager, set in motion plans for a retail paradise.

Erickson saw a real opportunity here. "This area is just busting out with retirees with disposable income, and I really wanted to offer them something great to look at and purchase," he says. "I painted a picture in my head of a hot tub showroom like nobody else had done before."

The showroom he pictured, which captures the city's coastal vibe, opened with great fanfare in March. In keeping with the trend toward retail superstores, Erickson features indoor and outdoor display areas, showcases more than 20 hot tubs--three of which are available for wet tests in a specially designed mood room--and offers a variety of sideline items.

When creating its new retail oasis, the company followed a common-sense approach to design, taking care to set the right mood and establish an effective layout. The firm opted to go without an interior decorator to create the store's look. Instead, the principals relied on their own ingenuity and tips garnered from seminars they attended at the International Pool & Spa Expo.

Here, Erickson and Allen explain the elements used to create the right look for their store and what they learned along the way.

Bringing paradise to life

When designing the store's look and feel, Erickson and Allen sought to play off its proximity to the coast. Staying true to the company's motto, "Fun Family Paradise," the 6,000-square-foot showroom brings a taste of island living to customers.

Props such as 8-foot-tall silk palm trees, which also are fur sale, lend a tropical flair. Sounds of calypso music and steel drums, which play throughout the dab set a Caribbean tone. In addition, a 3,000-square-foot outdoor display area dramatically showcases the pool and spa lifestyle.

The environment is all about fun, Erickson says. "The music we play is upbeat, and every 30 seconds our in-house commercials come on," he says. "It sets a feel. It's all about emotion."

* Adjust the color palette

To further enhance the emotion, Erickson worked with color to set the right tone. Earthy and warm colors, such as a subtle sand shade and a refreshing sky blue hue found on many of the walls, create a soothing mood inside the store.

While this may be contrary to what is typically used in a pool/spa retail store, Allen says it's actually in the store's best interest to keep things calm.

"The Longer we can gut the customer to linger and look, the better chance we have to hit the home run," he says. "Our items are not cheap or necessary, so we want the customers not to feel pressed or antsy. We want to create a slow, grazing type of shopping experience."

However, brilliant dollops of color were used here and there to boost the store's energy. Candy-colored pool and hot tub accessories add a controlled punch of color throughout the interior.

* Make checkout a breeze

The large center-island cash/wrap station, designed to look like an open-air cabana, upholds the tropical theme. This area serves as a strong focal point: It's located close to the entrance, yet is still easily accessible to browsing shoppers.

"The benefit, of tire design allows us to service the customer on all four sides," Allen says. The register sits straight ahead; the water-analysis lab is on the right; catalog orders are handled on the left; and the rear counter is used as a worktable for the staff.

"Our center island is the showpiece," Erickson says. "It's the centerpiece hangout." Its cabana-style design, which includes a tin roof, crisp white pillars and bright blue shelving, adds whimsy to an area that's usually considered practical.

The shelves at the checkout's base provide ample room for impulse items, from patio string lights and lanterns to floats and other pool accessories. Remote-control boats and other toys also are found here within child-grabbing range. Black sparkle granite countertops store additional items, but still provide plenty of room for customers to set down a child or large purse while making a purchase.

The cabana-style station has proven to be a hit with customers, Erickson says. "We have even had people ask us to build them one in their backyards."

* Create vignettes.

I lot tubs clearly take top billing in the retail showroom. To help customers envision the vessels in their own homes, the firm displays them in creative ways: some are recessed into the ground, others feature surrounds such as planters, steps and bars.

To Erickson, adding such detail is the only way to introduce customers to the hot-tub experience. "They're not just boxes sitting in a row, lined up like soldiers," he says. "Nobody wants to buy the box on top of the ground. I refuse to do that because they won't sell."