How do you create the most successful store launch in a company’s history? One so successful that it became almost impossible to keep up with the replenishment of stock on that day.

Having a great brand is certainly a good starting point. And Brompton Bikes has become a global icon for the style, practicality and durability of their folding bicycles.

But it also makes a difference if your retail premises are visually impressive – showcasing not just the bikes and their accessories, but the lifestyle they have come to embody, together with the heritage and brand values that are so appealing.

Brompton Singapore was just the latest among a string of projects we’ve created for the client across three continents.

The brief in this location was to move the experience away from the traditional format of a bike shop and create an environment that celebrated engineering excellence, eccentricity, the cycling lifestyle, and the warmth of its loyal customers.

The store needed to engage on several levels – as a serious and hard-working retail environment providing a sophisticated back drop to the product, but also as a community hub promoting premium British craftmanship.

We designed the storefront to suggest a traditional vehicle workshop entrance, with purpose-made doors folding open to the full width of the interior.

The rear wall and roadway were crafted to draw the eye through the space, with the roadway also providing a durable surface for demonstrating bikes. Evening masterclasses for customers on bicycle maintenance can also be held here.

A visual highlight is the specially commissioned poster of The Mall in London – the location of the finishing line of the Brompton World Championships.

Even more eye-catching is the deconstructed shed at the heart of the store. This represents the eccentricity of the brand, evocative of single-minded inventors who have spawned so many great ideas over time. The dominant yellow colour serves as a reference point, while its skeletal form allows customers to engage with mechanics while they work.

The bikes themselves are showcased in two ways, folded and unfolded. The depth of the range is presented within the cube wall. This is oriented at a slight angle to ensure the bikes, which are slightly recessed into the display, are clearly visible.

The latest models are arranged within alcoves to emphasise their individuality and fashion appeal. Wooden packaging crates from the factory have been reworked to display accessories, with a wheel-framed mirror also adding authenticity. A variety of lighting types in industrial-style fittings ensures that product colours are properly presented and work and demonstration areas correctly defined.

At the rear is community seating for waiting customers and those attending ride-outs. There’s also a digital social media white board to communicate about future events and promotions.

People came from far and wide to be present at the Spring 2019 opening, and they weren’t disappointed, as the record sales figures showed.

The new store design concept has also been shortlisted for a prestigious Design Week magazine award [2020]. And it’s also attracted a lot of positive comment, both from customers and its peers

As Steve Lister, the Global Retail Innovator and Influencer wrote:

“Average retail is dead… Experiential retail is the future! I’m absolutely loving the store design, the road, the displays, the lighting….perfect for today’s retail.”

We look forward to working with Brompton on many future launches – and to continuing to set the pace in experiential retail.