Taking it to the street

[Bill Grant]  Across America, historic Main Street communities have fallen prey to the generic strip centers and massive malls that define urban sprawl. In the process, small core downtown districts, once the heart and soul of their local communities, have vanished. In an effort to support the revitalization of our own historic downtown district and to increase the accessibility of our design services, Grant Design Collaborative opened its own retail venture, the Store at Grant Design Collaborative, in a vacant storefront in our building in downtown Canton, Georgia.

About 45 miles north of Atlanta, the Store is equal parts retail and product design incubator. We aptly refer to the Store as “a retail stream of consciousness for cockeyed optimists!” Beyond simply doing something “cool” with our vacant storefront, we are seeking to create a design resource that actively engages everyday consumers on the street. Having worked with local businesses and our municipality for many years, it seemed natural to open a downstairs retail venture in the heart of downtown. It was a way to expose the byproducts of our design thinking to our local community, to field questions, and share the design process at a pace that is comfortable to visitors.

The Store is fluid and adaptable, allowing us to tailor our products and processes to meet the design needs of our local community. Conversations about our area rugs lead to questions about our interior design services. When we mention that all of our paper goods are handmade from reclaimed and repurposed materials from our commercial design practice upstairs, we have a new opportunity to discuss our approach to strategic and sustainable brand design — and stimulate interest among local businesses.

By taking a leadership role in our community and by making our design thinking accessible and “purchasable,” we have not only cultivated a larger, homegrown fan base for our work, but we have also introduced a new consumer group to the larger concept of design. Just a few months after opening our doors, many in the community acknowledge The Store as a destination source for original greeting cards, journals, home accessories, interior design and mass individualized custom projects. Many have expressed their excitement about having a source for “interesting” products so close to home with no need to travel all the way into Atlanta for “cool” gifts. Others have inquired about custom print and design projects, indicating that people are beginning to connect the dots by understanding that design is an active process of creation, a dialogue between client and designer.

In addition to enhancing our business potential in our local community, social media and online resources have allowed the Store at Grant Design Collaborative to establish a national community of the design curious. For example, we have sold products through posts on the Store’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Our design colleagues have showcased the venture on their blogs and podcasts. Metropolis magazine even featured the Store in their October issue as part of their article on “Retail Strategies for a Tough Economy.” Last but not least, Mohawk’s Felt and Wire Shop allows us to extend our reach even further. By having an online marketplace for design enthusiasts, we can also engage those who can’t visit the Store at Grant Design Collaborative in Canton, Georgia’s Historic Downtown Loop.

As strategic designers, we are often required to “think big,” but we seldom realize that “thinking small” is equally important. We should all take time to analyze our own design businesses to determine how our creative resources, both physical and intellectual, can be better utilized to manufacture and distribute new ideas and products. The Store at Grant Design Collaborative is making a small difference for both our business and community. Such grassroots efforts can be ignited by emotional and intellectually compelling design. Even with minuscule budgets and unrelenting economic conditions, the value of great design cannot be underestimated.

Photos: Grant Design Collaborative

Bill Grant is president and creative director of Grant Design Collaborative and a former national president of AIGA. Bill was also a member of the board of directors of the Atlanta chapter of AIGA from 1993–1999 and served as the chapter’s president from 1997–1999.