Articles by 'Steve Di Orio'

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Shelving

When designing your retail space, your There are many types of walls that are useful for retailers looking to create the best display for their store. For those who are looking for something that looks neat and organized while also saving space, one of the best panel options are slatwalls.... read more.

• March 20, 2017

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Pet Stores

The Challenge When creating shelving for pet stores, it can be tempting to stick to plain, functional gondolas and counters. But what if you want to get a little more creative with your shelving, but still maintain functionality? That was the challenge posed to Handy Store Fixtures. An owner of a pet store wanted us to create something a little more interesting than just a simple display unit to hold their “Biscuit Buffet,” an array of dog treats that could be selected individually. Their reques... read more.

• December 13, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Liquor Stores, Shelving

Handy Stores Fixtures created a custom wine display unit to make a sleek and classy display When it comes to creating your liquor store shelving system, finding a balance between functionality and aesthetic can be difficult. While you want to keep your shelving utilitarian, it is also important to keep the shelving looking nice and appealing to customers. For one of our customers, these competing factors led us to create a custom solution: our wine four-way shelving unit. The shelf is able to display at lea... read more.

• November 15, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Store Design

Color is one of the most significant determining factors directly related to sales. In various studies, color has been found to account for over 80% of purchases made based on color. That’s why choosing color carefully, thoughtfully and strategically for your retail store design can be a make it or break it deal. Did you know that every color conveys a different feeling to your customer? Did you also know that too much of one color can be irritating to a customer to the point where they may exit your... read more.

• August 12, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Liquor Stores, Store Design

It’s easy to understand why convenience stores continue to dominate year after year in beer sales.  They’re a fast, easy and, well, convenient place for customers to grab beer on the go. There is one interesting shelving trend that sets them apart too: beer caves. Walk-in beer coolers or beer caves, as they are commonly referred to, are designed for a particular store and its specific layout needs. These beer caves are temperature controlled walk-in coolers that allow stores to sell more pr... read more.

• August 05, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Retail, Shelving

If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer number products stacked on gondola shelves in each aisle when you enter a store, you are not alone. Consumers are faced with so many choices nowadays that it’s easy to get distracted and forget what they came into the store to buy in the first place. Most consumers come into stores with limited time, and either a paper list or mental list of what products they need to purchase. However, there are always opportunities to grab the attention of the consumer to tr... read more.

• July 29, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Liquor Stores

Making your liquor store thrive, not just survive While liquor stores are typically considered a stable business, there are many ways independent owners can make their stores stand out and become even more profitable, rather than just surviving by virtue of being an alcohol vendor. Show and sell: A major trend in retail is to provide customers with an experience beyond plain shopping. This is seen in things like grocery stores adding specialized cafes, or coffee shops hosting live music. Liquor stores can t... read more.

• July 21, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Pharmacy, Shelving

When it comes to your pharmacy’s layout, simple navigation and functional shelving create a shopping experience reflective of the care your pharmaceutical team gives. We recently teamed up with PBA Health to discuss investing in up-to-date and easily-organized fixtures to let your pharmacy department best serve your customers. Check out the full story! For more information about pharmacy layouts, read our earlier post about pharmacy floorplans, or visit our pharmacy solutions gallery.... read more.

• July 11, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Pharmacy

Pharmacy Floorplans: Rx for Building a Successful Pharmacy What applies to retail floorplans generally applies to pharmacies, too. As we’ve written before (“Tips for Retail Success”), the best retail floorplans take into account demographics and the economic situation of families within a 5-mile radius of the store. They also make it easy for people to find the hottest and most profitable items. Whatever is driving people to your store and flying off the shelves, you want to make simple fo... read more.

• June 17, 2016

By Steve Di Orio, Posted in Retail, Shelving

[caption id="attachment_1334" align="alignright" width="300"] OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA[/caption] Retail Shelving: Increase Sales at Checkout To boost checkout consumption, rely on simple pop psychology. The more convenient you make it, the more likely people will buy things out of convenience. The experts call it capitalizing on a ‘captive audience.’ When you have people’s attention (because they’re standing in line or otherwise waiting to complete a transaction), they are prone to mak... read more.

• June 10, 2016