Space: it’s just one of those necessities that retail stores never seem to have enough of. So, how do you make do with less operational area? You just get creative of course, according to Rebecca Bowles, assistant manager at Randolph Macon College Bookstore.
With very little storage and no shipping or receiving area, the store’s staff has had to overcome certain obstacles in organizing their merchandise. Their limited layout, however, has by no means restricted their success!
“It’s definitely a challenge but it’s our reality, so we do whatever is necessary to make it work,” she said. “By implementing small changes over time, we’ve been able to better use what we have to its full potential.”
Without room to store their incoming shipments, one of the most difficult times for the staff is undoubtedly preparing for textbook rush each semester. Unpacking their textbook orders on the selling floor, they have to work quickly to keep the store looking presentable and their merchandise sellable.
In need of additional resources, Bowles took a proactive approach, pursuing other options to help maximize their available area.
“We partnered with a coffee shop that’s in the same building as the store, but isn’t open during the summer,” she explained. “Now, we borrow their space during that time to keep all of our large shipments there until we’re ready to unpack. It’s been a huge help! “
Preparing for rush, however, is just half of the battle for R-MC Bookstore.
“Textbooks take up about a third of our available shelving at the beginning of the semester, so we just don’t have enough room to display all of our apparel or other merchandise during that time,” she said. “We rearrange the store as the books sell to make room for new products. It’s a very active process for us; we’re always shifting something around!”
To help in this transition, Bowles looks for secondhand, space-saving fixtures.
“We’ve purchased several small fixtures and have tried to find as many as possible on wheels,” she added. “It’s all about thinking outside the box and trying to make every square foot count!”
Besides just creating functional displays, Bowles also believes it’s important to make the store as visually appealing as possible to compensate for the space constraints. Trying to be creative without breaking the bank, she often finds fun decorations at the secondhand store, too!
For instance, Bowles brought attention to the front of the store with a football themed display.
“We don’t have a front window, so we needed another way to draw students in once they entered the store,” she said. “So, last year, we purchased several glass display cubes from a local store that was going out of business and used them to help promote our annual football game against our school’s rival, Hampden-Sydney College. We transformed the cubes into nests and placed turkey decoys in them, as a fun way of implying that they were going to be turkeys against our team!”
Similarly, Bowles also uses low-cost decorations to differentiate the store for different occasions.
“We’ve hung paper lanterns in our school colors from the ceiling to show spirit, created a regal atmosphere with silk flowers and lace tablecloths in honor of the Royal Wedding, and celebrated Cinco de Mayo by placing colorful paper flowers and margarita shaped glasses around the store to make it more festive!” she said. “We try to create an inviting atmosphere, all year round.”
This strategy has proven very successful for the store, and Bowles plans to only expand that effort in the future.
“We’ve worked very hard, especially over the past six months or so, to implement small changes and see what works; it’s really made a difference,” she said. “You just have to keep experimenting and find the best fit for your store.”
