salvation army select

'red hot' opening

2009-11-17T19:32:00.001-08:00

as friday the 13th approached-- students, professors, family and friends combined their efforts to get through many late nights and early mornings to prepare the store for a very 'lucky' opening. all the final touches were made including graphics, merchandising, and displays:

MERCHANDISING

GRAPHICS

WINDOWS

DRESSING ROOMS

i saw the sign...and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign

2009-11-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

today was a VERY exciting day because our exterior sign was installed!!! matt and i [having never been involved in a project where a sign was custom made and installed for us] were interested in the process of how sign-a-rama were planning on installing the letters and shield individually. each individual letter was spread out on the pavement while a large printed version of our sign was hung on the exterior of the building. this was used as a placeholder for each letter so each letter was placed in its correct position. then as each letter was drilled into the brick- piece by piece of the paper came off.

each letter was laid out before the installation

installation sequence

matt, suzanne and i getting ready for the SHIELD to go up!!!

....and 'TA DA' the SHIELD is up!

we had each letter lit white from the front and the shield is backlit using red LED's

if only we could complete our TO DO list...

2009-11-05T11:02:00.000-08:00

with the help of JIF peanut butter and nilla wafers -- we plow on through the night to finish the second coat of white paint on all the drywall in the built-in fixtures and red on the endcaps. we had to switch red paints because our original red clashed with the orange tints in the carpet-- i think the second time is the charm! i can't wait to see the banners in front of the endcaps! now where to get the banners??...

moving on UP

2009-11-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

while waiting on the drywall to dry/finished getting installed we started painting the drop down ceiling [since its FINALLY fixed!].

step 1...

step 2...

step 3! DONE!

happy halloween.

2009-10-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

due to time restraints [as always] we had to hire drywallers to come and install the drywall for us within our built-ins cabinets instead of us doing it ourselves. even though we hired out to speed up the process-- it still pushed us back a few days and won't be completed until wednesday. so this weekend will be busy finishing the painting and fixtures for the back and front......

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

shoes with soul

2009-10-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

photo by Tim Robison

If you've rounded the curve from Pisgah Church onto North Elm lately you may have noticed something a little out of the ordinary....dozens and dozens of red shoes marching toward the new store. These shoes, dipped in red paint and labeled with information about The Salvation Army, are one of several installations created by the Revisioning Retail studio to drive donations and generate attention for the new store. The shoes, all either missing mates or beyond repair, were given new 'souls'...just like the rest of the used items that are kindly donated to The Salvation Army each and every day. No longer destined for the landfill, these shoes will continue to live through future displays in The Salvation Army Select.

and we're up and running...

2009-10-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

runway ready

2009-10-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

...okay- not quite ready but we are getting close! carpet has been installed in both the entryway and office/break room thanks to right touch interiors. it is really unbelievable to start seeing our vision coming into reality and also relieving at the same time to know one thing is complete-- the FLOOR!

since both the concrete is refinished and carpet is installed-- we are now going to be covering up the carpet so we can begin framing the built-in cabinets. we are still waiting on the electrician to come and adjust the track lights because some are going to be shinning directly on top of the cabinets??! we have decided to have him come back to move the lights once fixtures are in place so he can accurately adjust them.

nice shiny new floor

2009-10-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

the concrete floor has been sanded and is now dry with a clear sealant.......and is very SHINY! even though the checkered pattern + remnants of the previous brown stain haven't been completely erased- it gives the space a sense of where its been and where it is now. the floor is now prepped and ready for carpet install tomorrow.....red carpet- here we come!

meanwhile back at uncg

2009-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Third and fourth-year interior architecture students studying retail design are contributing to the effort through unique and resourceful store displays using broken, worn-out and otherwise unusable goods. In addition, the energetic group is unleashing innovative guerrilla marketing ideas to drive donations and generate attention for the store. Much of their effort thus far has been, well, dipped in paint. More details on this to come...

In the meantime, feast your eyes on these images, all through the lens of student Tim Robison.

at last...some color!

2009-10-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

the painting in the front of the store is now finished! we kept our brushes busy in order to coat the walls in paint before we had our concrete re-finished. concrete surface alternatives will be re-finishing our concrete tomorrow-- by sanding down the existing concrete then applying two coats of clear sealant on monday. bye bye mixed matched concrete...hello new pretty shiny concrete......

bringing it to the back...

2009-10-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

the mural is now complete-- THANK YOU and well done sage! as sage finished up the mural- matt and i FINALLY finished up the brown coats of paint in the front and back! i don't think either one of us wants to see brown paint for a very long time....

we have also received our carts from global industries- these will be used to sort the donations once they arrive at the store into things that will stay and things that will be trucked over to the family store. we also received some nice donated desks and filing cabinets from a law firm that was moving-- we now have the office stocked! now how about that lounge....

...and keeps going....

2009-10-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

day after day as sage continues painting the mural-- we continue taping and painting the walls brown. along side preparing the store- matt has also been busy in the woodshop at the gatewood studio arts building- working with the product design studio that is building the in-store fixtures and fixtures for the back donation center [pictures to follow soon...]

the painting continues...

2009-10-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

sage has now started the mural with a nice capture of greensboro's skyline and will continue expressing the salvation army's mission in pictorial form as the painting continues.

and we're off......

2009-10-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

...with the first coat of brown to prep for the mural painted by artist- sage hanna. the mural will be placed under the drop-down ceiling behind the cash wrap to act as a backdrop and focal point within the store.

lights, camera, action...

2009-09-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

city inspections have passed...YAY! so now it is time to move in and start the finishing work. while stoel's and suzanne's studio classes are continuing with the fixtures and display ideas for the store-- matt and i will be busy painting, ordering supplies, and scheduling for carpet installment and refinishing for the concrete.

build process week of 9.15-9.19

2009-09-17T15:31:00.001-07:00

the contractor's portion is coming to an end as they are finishing up some details: walls are primed and we are waiting to pass inspection from the city. within the next week or two we will be able to start our work within the store: painting, installing carpet, installing the built-ins and then move in the final fixtures and merchandise the apparel and accessories!

since the fall semester has started at uncg- two of the studio classes within the interior architecture department has agreed to assist matt and i with the final design details of the store in order to prepare for opening. stoel burrows's studio class will be assisting us with the mid-floor fixtures by 'tweaking' the designs matt and i have already started. the students will then build the actual fixtures to be placed within the store. suzanne cabrera's class is assisting us with the marketing of the store as well as the in store displays and merchandising. please visit their class blog to read updates on their process.

front of the house: front window

front of the house: cash wrap wall

back of the house

calling all DONATIONS

2009-09-17T14:22:00.001-07:00

as you are turning over your wardrobe from summer to fall-- bring your DONATIONS to salvation army every saturday from 9am-4pm at 3610 n. elm street [salvation army SELECT].

your donations are helping us help others.

news + record article

2009-09-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

follow the link to the news + record to read up on an article written on august 30th!

build process week of 8.31-9.4

2009-09-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

dry-walling has begun! the front of the store's walls has been complete and it looks like they moved down some electrical outlets that were placed in the middle of the wall towards the bottom. now they won't interfere with the mural that will be placed along the back wall where the cash wrap will be placed. the only thing i have a question on- is the drop ceiling in the middle. it appears as if they only dry-walled the sides but the ceiling is still at its original 12' not the 11' it is supposed to be-- i'll have to check on that tomorrow.

meanwhile...here are some pictures of the store:

view from store's entrance

view from side entrance

tomorrow we have a meeting with the new store committee of the salvation army. the purpose of this meeting is to get the managerial duties started in order to have the store up and running by mid october. i will also update them in terms of the construction process, budget, exterior signage [because we need to get that approved before we can order the sign], and the long term schedule.

build process week of 8.24-8.28

2009-08-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

i stopped by the store today to check on the progress of construction- and i was very excited to see that the wall has been demolished! just by knocking down two portions of the wall- it completely opens up the space. all the framing is complete and passed inspection today. drywall is expected to start the end of this week or the beginning of next. the secondary drop down ceiling has also been installed.

view of front of store from store's entrance
note:: the wall that separated the two leased spaces have been removed! :)

newly paved ramp at the drop off area

children's section

dressing rooms

the wall in the backroom that has finally been removed!

build me up buttercup... build process week of 8.17-8.21

2009-08-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

matt and i visited the site earlier this morning to check in with the process of te construction and talk with the contractor on site. as of now- they are framing the interior walls for the dressing rooms, bathrooms, office, and lounge. it is very exciting to see it all come together. we are going back to site early next week to take some more pictures and talk with the contractor on a more finalized schedule of their work so we know when we can come in and start installing our fixtures.

matt and i have been working on flyers and a temporary sign to be placed on the road sign by the store to start informing the public of the new store opening. [graphic will come later.] we are also in the process of putting a schedule together for us so we know when each stage of the project will be complete. more of that later to come...

entrance looking left

entrance looking center by the bathrooms and dressing rooms

entrance looking center where the cash rap will be placed

entrance looking right where the children's section will be plus the women's section that will be placed where the wall will be demolished

dressing room framing

bathroom framing

back entrance for the donation drop off from the interior

standing by the back entrance looking towards the front of the store

standing in the back looking towards the office and lounge

back entrance for the donation drop off

median for possible placement of donation drop off sign

FINAL drawings

2009-07-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

yesterday marked the last day of classes and the end of PHASE 1- design complete! the images below explain our design of the sales floor and back room. the back of the house is an area that we will be working on a little bit more by collaborating with the existing manager at the lee street location to ensure an efficient working space. so now PHASE 2 begins....

store axonometric view

view from entrance-- cash wrap

view of women's and children's section from entrance

view of children's section

view of entrance and women's section from cash wrap

view of men's section from cash wrap

working up a storm

2009-07-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

debbie and i have been hard at work this week preparing for final presentations next tuesday. we are also busy getting our boards ready to print so that the salvation army can use them this weekend during a donation drive at the grasshoppers game.

this axon view shows the entire store where the renderings will focus mainly on the sales floor.

update on schedule!

2009-07-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

as thesis is coming to the end [yay!] we are preparing for our final presentation and completing our presentation drawings for our review on july 28th. matt and i have been busy this week deciding on color and material applications for the store as well as details for the store fixtures. we are planning to have our presentation boards completed and printed by this saturday because the salvation army is having an event at the greensboro grasshoppers baseball game this saturday and we wanted to have the boards there to promote the new store.

last friday we had a meeting with salvation army in which we discussed the project schedule from now until the opening so we had a better idea as to what our fall was going to look like since matt and i are planning on seeing this project to the end. we are currently waiting on approval for the budget from the salvation army headquarters so we can go ahead and tell our contractor to proceed with the construction. we hope to receive approval within the next week and have the design sent to the city with their approval. within the next couple weeks-we hope to have the construction up and running and lasting for around 5 weeks. then for the next 4 weeks- we will be detailing the interior: painting, merchandising...etc and this is when matt and i will be building the built in fixtures that will be placed along the wall and in the middle of the sales floor. then we are shooting to have a soft opening sometime in the beginning of october and grand opening in mid october-- yay! cross your fingers all goes according to plan....