look into "alternative" coop groceries; Wholefoods, Henry's, and for design the OB People's Food Store in San Diego. "Pavillions" vs a regular Von's...

Maybe marketing and branding will be more important than technology...

this link will take you to archinect review for The Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping / Harvard Design School Project on the City 2 by by Chuihua Judy Chung (Editor), Jeffrey Inaba, Rem Koolhaas, Sze Tsung Leong

i have it and thought is quite good ...on amazon for $35

I've done some research on Wholefood's, HEB Central Market and United Supermarkets. As far as technology I'm thinking about Radio Frequency ID tags. Ultimately stores will be able to gather countless amounts of marketing data with these tags. Another interesting possibility is instant pricing per market demand. With digital shelving tags prices could change according to market demand. Interactive displays could provide specific product information about a particular food variety etc... In some ways it would mimic the exchange of information between the consumer and the grower at a farmers market. Something the local high school kid at your typical corner grocery can't provide. As markets transformed into supermarkets the entrance/exits had to be cut down so that shoppers could funnel out of the store past the checkout lines. With RFID tags it might be possible to introduce a more open plan with numerous entrances equipped with scanning equipment. As soon as you walk through the door you've already paid. Your visit and purchases have been recorded, and the store will let you know when your cheese starts to get moldy.

Thanks for the other suggestions geezer. I'll check them out.

I think I'll pick up that book. Thanks TED

I've been designing grocery stores for the past ten years, I would be willing to talk with you.

I second that on the Harvard school of Design book, great book, good read.

try www.groceteria.net for the historical perspective

i came across this link on archinect-link-lectures. ME++ The Cyborg Self and the Networked City:William J. Mitchell Head, Media Arts and Sciences
Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences, MIT. he wrote a book of the same name.

i dont how appropriate the book is for you [i am going to get it], but the lecture is an hour and he goes through examples how changing technology has changed how we design cities. i think you will get things out of it from the technology side!! maybe then get the book. lots of other interesting lectures web site.

Not sure how relevant this is but jsut came across this article where stores, banks, are culturally formatting their retail house identities to appeal more to ethnic minorities, not sure yet what to make of this. I think it may be a good sentiment but the outcome is still kind of disturbing to me. some implementation like bilingual tellers makes sense, but decorating interiors and perhaps modulating the architecture to cater to enthnic diversity sounds tricky and somewhat foolishly deragatory...but I guess I would have to learn more about the actual implementation.

...on the other hand some of these sterile environments could use some cultural flavor.

Enthic-themes in Retail

Lectures link, Wow... I discover something new in archinect every day. I'm really going to have to dig into some other areas of this web site. It is however getting a little ridiculous. I mean I check the discussion board every time I check my email. I'm defiantly addicted to archinect.

Thanks for all these links guys. Its going to take awhile for me to search through them, but keep them coming if you find more.

On one hand the ethnic themed stores seem like a good idea, and its defiantly a good business decision for Wells Fargo. Come to think of it we have a Wells Fargo branch in town that has an old west cowboy theme. I mean down to the wagon wells, barnwood, and old cast iron teller gates. Very stereotypical Texan that’s for sure. I'm not sure that it makes me feel more comfortable though. More like I'm banking on the set of some cowboy western. The danger in this concept is the possibility of creating a bunch of fake Disney world like environments all over the place. I think we may be getting to the point were cramming cultural diversity down everyone’s throat is going to backfire. The diversity is here, let’s enjoy it... no need to amplify it with a bunch of false realities. Interesting concept. We'll see how it develops.

There've been some grocery store studios at Yale. Look up old issues of Retrospecta for examples - circa 1997.

look up bd partnership. they are probably the biggest retail uk firm, or future systems (selfridges in birmingham, new look in london)
also dont limit the search to architecture, but go onto industrial design. i saw some interesting stuff done on redesigning the counter at the last business design centre exhibition. most innovative retail space is created integrating new technologies in the old 4walls and a roof configuration...

i agree with bigness...don't limit your research in architecture, apart from industrial design, graphic design plays the biggest part in retail business. there's tons of information that people have to look at when they shop, signage for restsroom, different aisles, etc.

of course new technology can ease the in/out going of products, why not also look at how a retail space succeeds in bringing customer.

research have shown that sales at shops across the pond from us are doing better than the departmental stores we have here. why is that? part of it is the whole experience of shopping. how can you bring that excitement into shoppers in wanting more? i think selfridges is succeeding in doing that by their store design.

everything is more expensive in london, people buy for a year and then fuck the economy over saving for christmas, nada to do with selfridges.

oh i recommend the january sales at harrods...they are simply spendid!!

everything deserves to be more expensive in london,so they can pay for the gerkin, the FOA exhibition at the ica,750.000 people for the rugby team and all that stuff, it just wouldn't happen if rent wasn't 550 a month. wheter you think all that stuff is useful or useless is down to you...live in london, pay for it!
want cheep? wolverhampton's the way to go.

maybe when they get a real football team.

TED - did you get my email?

javier, he's out of town till monday. I have an e-mail waiting for him too.

probably did but i cant get to my archinect directed email till tommorow.... [forget the new password i set for it]

but if it is about my last post...

I, (state your name) TED, hereby formally apologize for the supposed mis-reference of the Fox Force Five joke scene. Altough I admit no wrong doing, I will apologize if my reference offended, confused, or generally mis-guided anyone.

My apologies,

TED

no, not related to the fox force five...
what did papa tomato say to baby tomato?

i do much better at multiple choice exams than questions that require me to think outside the box.

Catch Up

TED - I like the use of the standardized apology form, very effective. Thanks for editing it.

oh, how could i be so dumb! catchup is one of my 2 favorite vegtables!

would be nice to have the standardized apology greyed below the post box so i could use it more often.... :-)

Thanks again TED, the MIT lecture was pretty good. I went ahead and preordered "ME++." I also bought a copy of the Harvard book.

Hey Ted, just got Guide to Shopping / Harvard Design School Project on the City 2 in the mail to day. Damn, its huge. Looks good. thanks for the rec.