Chain Store Age - July 2009

In Demand: Cool Concepts

Aluxury eyewear store, a frozen-yogurt bar and two apparel concepts were the winners of the International Council of Shopping Centers’ annual “Hot Retailers” award. The award is conferred on concepts considered particularly innovative by ICSC’s members worldwide, who are surveyed as part of the selection process. This year’s Hot Retailers are:

• The Blues Jean Bar: The Blues Jean Bar is designed to resemble a friendly neighborhood pub, but one that serves denim instead of drinks. Stores feature a long wooden bar lined with barstools. “Jean-tenders” help customers find the perfect pair of jeans in a casual, laid-back atmosphere.

With more than 40 lines on tap, shoppers use a menu of jeans to “order up” their favorite brand, wash, size and style. Based in Chicago, The Blues Jean Bar also has stores in San Francisco, Santa Monica and San Jose, Calif.; and in Dallas and Denver.

• Edward Beiner: High-design and high-ticket eyewear brands are the main attraction at Edward Beiner, which has nine locations in Florida. The stores are known for their handsome, inviting interiors, innovative merchandise selection and top-notch customer service.

• Fashionology: More than a store, Fashionology, in Beverly Hills, Calif., is an interactive fashion experience that

allows girls to design and customize hoodies, tank shirts and other items, personalizing them with rhinestones, charms, embellishments and graphic designs. The creativity occurs on site, via easy-to-use interactive touchscreens, bedazzlers and heat presses. Girls can also go online to personalize and order outfits.

• OrangeCup: Natural frozen yogurt with “live active cultures” served in a sleek, eco-friendly setting. That’s OrangeCup, which offers three base flavors that can be dressed up with more than a dozen toppings. Each order is personalized with a sticker featuring the customer’s name and a nutritional analysis of the contents. OrangeCup has a progressive, lively spirit, calling its employees “cupsters” and its managers “culturists.” With five stores in the Dallas market, OrangeCup is looking to expand.

Fashionology, which opened in 2008, targets tween girls.

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