With more people engaged in social distancing, retailers continue looking for ways of giving customers the best in-store experience possible within new guidelines. As the numbers of online shoppers increase, innovative and practical building designs are crucial to attracting people to brick-and-mortar facilities. Whether you are planning to construct a single stand-alone store or a retail shopping complex, one of these strategies might work for you. 

3 Strategies for Creating Retail Store Building Designs

1. Access to Outdoor Space

Designs that provide quick physical access to fresh air and outdoor spaces help customers relax between shopping sessions. Seeing natural light and outdoor scenes while shopping inside contribute to a sense of peace and calmness. Outdoor seating, large plexiglass windows, a courtyard or an atrium can enhance a customer’s indoor retail experience.   

2. LEED Features and Net-Zero Goals

Retail store customers concerned about the environment around them are drawn to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings. LEED-certified designs take into account the indoor air quality, natural and manmade materials used, amounts of water and energy consumed, and the building’s impact on its construction site. Designs incorporating trees, live plants, and flower gardens, and stores with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions appeal to shoppers seeking eco-friendly facilities. 

3. Ease of Navigation and Mobility

Your retail store design should accommodate shoppers who walk, push baby strollers, drive motorized shopping scooters or ride in wheelchairs. To promote easy navigation and mobility, include smooth, flat floors and wide aisles. Consider minimizing visual obstructions and permanent physical barriers, including columns. Providing movable walls  can accommodate the need to expand or reduce space for storing or displaying merchandise.