Chain Store Age - July 2009

Mandee Takes a
Dramatic Leap

The runway serves as a display platform, complete with mannequins, when it is not being used for special in-store events.

By Marianne Wilson

Mandee isn’t letting the economic downturn get in its way. The junior apparel retailer, known for its contemporary, value-priced fashions, is celebrat- ing its 60th year in business with a new prototype designed to offer a more dynamic shopping experience.

“Our customers already expect to see amazing values at our stores. We wanted to add further excitement to that experience and create an environment where the merchandise looks fabulous and the customer looks great,” said Ken Mandelbaum, chairman and CEO, Mandee, Totowa, N.J., which operates 114 stores in eight states.

Mandee is a division of Big M, a privately held, family owned company that also operates 42 Annie Sez stores.

“Strategically, we have positioned our stores to be successful in most environments,” Mandelbaum said. “Our pricing and product allows the customer to walk in and feel she is being well taken care of, in good times and bad.”

In its quest to upgrade its store experience, Mandee looked at every detail, from the music to the fixturing. The lighting, for example, was completely re-engineered to focus more attention on the product and provide a more dramatic experience.

The new prototype, designed by Tricarico Architecture and Design, opened in May, in Clifton, N.J.

“Customers have responded so favorably, it’s remarkable,” Mandelbaum added. “It’s reflected in the sales the store is generating.”

The design aims to make customers feel as if they stepped into their own fashion show. The centerpiece of the 8,000-sq.-ft. store is a full-sized runway that can be used for special in-store events, such as a fashion show, as well as for display purposes. It has seating at one end, where people can wait while their friends shop.

The store has a fun, sexy and upbeat attitude. Pulsating music and videos, color-changing LEDs and bold, oversized graphics combine for a high-energy and stylish environment that creates an ideal backdrop for the vibrant clothing on display. A black and white palette is enlivened with yellow and purple accents.

“We kept the main color palette fairly neutral so as not to distract from the merchandise, which is very colorful,” Tricarico said. “The clothes really tell the story.”

Notable new additions to the Mandee format include brightly colored accent tables and an attention-getting jewelry wall.

“We created casework bordered with a silver-leafed molding for the jewelry wall,” said Nicole Tricarico, interior designer, Tricarico Architecture and Design, Wayne, N.J. “The display is lit from inside.”

Decals of butterflies and other patterns, all done in a whimsical motif, were applied to the black wall directly above the casework and also to some of the store’s columns.