New format shows Strouds' direction

Discount Store News, Jan 20, 1997

IRVINE, CALIF. - Will Strouds' Home Compass store set the course for its future growth and direction?

The home furnishings superstore certainly hopes so, as its aggressive new format takes aim at other home furnishings superstores such as Home Depot Expo, Bed Bath & Beyond and HomePlace with a fresh perspective rich in innovation and merchandising finesse.

"This concept was a long time in the making," Paul Stenbo, director of visual merchandising, told DSN. "The original germ of the idea was something we discussed four years ago, but the concept really jelled over the past year and a half."

The chain draws much of its design influence from not only its direct competitors but other formats such as Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn, which have mastered the concept of lifestyle merchandising.

"The whole store is based upon the theme of `what makes a house a home.'we've taken references to the home and used them throughout the store," Stenbo said.

A prime example of this is in its furniture department, where picture frames are blown up to 8 ft. wide by 10 ft. tall and are used to merchandise product. The same holds true for 16-ft. by 20-ft. windows on which the sill is used to showcase products.

The most unique feature of the 50,000-sq.-ft. store double the size of a traditional Strouds store) is its circular layout, which provides consumers with a fluid shopping experience where they can find both decorating ideas and on-trend merchandise.

The new format is the first Strouds' store to feature a full line of decorative accessories, furniture, tabletop and housewares. These categories are not segmented but blended together in vignettes throughout the store and focus on five main rooms in the house: living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

The 6,000 sq. ft. home decor department, the largest department inside the racetrack, has a wide assortment of framed art, frames, mirrors and tabletop. Products are segmented into lifestyle and color trends areas: Casual Classics features elements of casual living; Garden Affair concentrates on florals designs; Living Color is filled with vibrant colors on everything from towels to pillows; Old World.takes a cue from traditional styled products with architectural references and fret work; Heritage pays homage to antiques and collectibles; and Origins is brimming with primitive and ethnic designs.

Wall units, upholstered furniture and accessories comprise the cornerstone of the 6,000-sq.-ft. living room area, which is the second largest department in the store and shares space with an expanded area rug and accent rug department.

In the 5,000-sq.-ft. dining room department, china, glass and silverware are merchandised by style rather than by type.

Next door is a 5,000-sq.-ft. kitchen area stocked with cookware, small electrics and housewares in brands such as Krups, Cuisinart and Kitchenaid. Just behind the kitchen area is its demonstration and seminar room where lectures and other events are held almost daily. Strouds plans to showcase chefs for cooking demonstrations.

The kitchen area transitions into the bath department where a spa environment is suggested through the use of bath & body lotions, bath accessories and even CDs and cassettes featuring soothing music.

The 10,000 sq. ft. fashion bedding department features 145 coordinated ensembles. In addition, Strouds' Custom Select mattress line allows consumers to customize the firmness of their mattresses.

Specialty areas also dot the store's landscape and draw the consumer into a seasonal area in the center of the store. The Garage Sale area, for example, features promotional and clearance items that keep the selling floor fresh, and in the Home Imagination Center-designers are on hand to help with custom services for kitchen remodeling and window treatments. The Compass Cafe offers coffee and snacks, while nearby a wide selection of everything, from teas and coffee to pasta and flavored oils, flanks the department. Going forward, Strouds is contemplating adding other types of food such as sandwiches for ladies who lunch.

Strouds would not reveal its plans for future openings, but Stenbo said the company is "very pleased" with sales results so far and has begun to evaluate the performance of various classifications and designs.