Retail Design Institute 41st Annual International Store Awards Show

On January 16, 2012, The Retail Design Institute has a grand opportunity for you to be part of the most exciting, most significant awards presentation and celebration in retail!

The one night where you can celebrate with the winning teams and key retail industry players after the most prestigious retail design awards show in the world:

The Retail Design Institute's International Store Design Awards

For over 50 years, the Institute has set the standard for excellence in store design, and since 1971, in the industry's only peer reviewed competition, we have publicly recognized those retail projects, which are the best of the year, and the designers and retailers who plan and create them.The Awards Gala is a one of a kind evening;

We are in Manhattans most exciting venue: The Times Center Stage designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano at 242 West 41st. St. at Times Square, NYC,

The Awards Show- recognizing the Best Stores in the World for 2011 in 18+ categories of retail architecture & design,

Presentation of the Retail Design Institute's Store of the Year

This is a truly remarkable evening!

Holiday Shopping 2011 Is Off To a Successful Start

 (December 2, 2011)

Cyber Monday seemed to follow in Black Friday’s footsteps. Forbes reported that an estimated $1.25 billion was spent online, a 22 percent increase from last year. Online deals ranging from retail to travel seemed to be getting everyone’s attention – my inbox was practically imploding on Monday with all of the deals offered. Cyber Monday’s success was attributed to not only an increase in the number of consumers shopping online – 11 percent -  but folks also spent 9 percent more than they did last year at this time.

All in all, it’s safe to say that holiday shopping for 2011 is in full swing and that it’s rockin! The prognosis for the rest of the shopping season looks grand, especially with such a strong start. It appears that we’re all ready to celebrate the holidays big this year and give our economy the nudge it deserves.

Hugo Boss Plans U.S. Expansion

(November 28, 2011)

German fashion house Hugo Boss AG announced plans to open another 20 stores in the United States by 2015 in addition to its current 42 locations. The company's standalone stores typically range between 3,000 sq. ft. to 4,000 sq. ft., which is about twice the size of its shop-in-shops at stores such as Macy's Inc. and Nordstrom Inc.

Macy's to Open Three New Stores

(November 11, 2011)

Cincinnati-based Macy's Inc. announced plans to open three new stores: two in New York and one in California. A three-level, 160,000-sq.-ft. Macy’s will open in the Mall at Bay Plaza in The Bronx borough of New York in fall 2013 or spring 2014. A new two-level, 200,000-sq.-ft. Macy’s will replace the existing Macy’s store in Westfield South Shore in Bay Shore, N.Y. The current South Shore mall store is scheduled to close in March 2012, with construction beginning shortly thereafter on the new replacement store to open in fall 2013. A one-level, 103,000-sq.-ft. Macy’s is scheduled to open in the Mall of Victor Valley in Victorville, Calif., in mid-2013.

GlobalShop Attendee Registration Opens

(November 07, 2011)

GlobalShop is the world’s largest annual tradeshow and conference dedicated to store design, visual merchandising, and shopper marketing. It is the only place where retailers and brand marketers can visit over 600 suppliers in one location. The GlobalShop show floor is conveniently divided into six sections of the retail design industry: The Store Fixturing Show, The Visual Merchandising Show, Store Design & Operations, The Digital Store, At-Retail Marketplace, and Retail Marketing Services.

Macy's Investing $400 Million to Remodel NYC Flagship

(November 2, 2011)

Macy's Herald Square is one of America's most famous department stores. Tourists visiting New York have it high on their lists of places to visit and, of course, it is the central point for the retailer's annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Now, the flagship is about to get bigger and shinier with a four-year remodeling project that Macy's expects will cost $400 million.

Among the changes planned at the Herald Square store are an additional 100,000 square feet of selling space. (The current store is 1.2 million square feet.) Macy's plans to use space currently used for offices and stock while extending the mezzanine level in the store.

Macy's is also looking to create the world's largest women's shoe department, add a new hall of luxury brands, restoring the "great hall" on the first floor with new presentations for cosmetics and jewelry.