Interstore

Zurich based Interstore was founded by Schweitzer as retail lab and design agency with the idea to bring innovation to retail itself. The formation of the company benefits both companies; Interstore has a massive resource for the implementation of their design projects, and the addition of a design practice to Schweitzer has opened doors to companies that may not have previously considered the shopfitter.

Interstore designs for many sectors including department stores and fashion brands, yet it is probably best known for being masters of everything food. Teaming up with Schweitzer they have a deep technical understanding of this sector and their experience means that the implementation comes as second nature, deeply reassuring for their clients.

Some of the retailers that they have worked with include Dunnes Stores, Carrefour, Foodland, KaDeWe and Waitrose.

Working with so many food brands, one might think that their projects would be repetitive, yet Interstore finds subtle ways of creating difference and telling each brand’s story; through store layout, fixture design, materials, colour, graphics, and especially through VM, they show numerous interesting ways of presenting products, be it food, homewares or clothing.

For the ‘Fresh Food Market’ in Cairo they created a concept which elevates product and reduces the noticeable presence of fixtures. great VM is supported by pots, pans and cooking utensils, intensifying the focus on ‘cooking from fresh’.

The display of food on wooden barrows, in baskets and barrels creates an Asian street food vibe in their design for ‘Oisoi Foodmarket and Restaurant in the heart of Sheffield. Customers can choose from the regular menu or they can buy their own ingredients from the store, for the chef to cook for them in the restaurant; culinary inspiration for the customers, whilst creating a real connection between them and the brand.

With the slogan ‘Everyday value with a smile’ Interstore’s concept for Metro Markets in Egypt makes you do just that. It’s a seemingly very simple concept, which you logically wonder why it’s not been done before… perhaps that’s why it’s somehow so clever. With a mix of food and non-food offers, their concept for Extracoop in Italy feels more like a department store, than a traditional department store, making it distinctive from their competitors.

The vibrant colour blocking, punchy graphics and messaging help customer navigation and are also reflected in the staff uniforms, making them highly identifiable to customers. Alongside the clever use of props, feature shelving and fixtures create eye-catching displays that break up the monotony of aisles of neatly stacked product.

Their work in other sectors is treated with the same thoughtfulness as can be seen in their designs for PKZ, Interio and in Dunnes Stores, where each brand and department has its own voice which along with graphics and the use of handwriting gives a personal touch, and ties the concept together.

The company is headed up by MD Ruth Toechterle and Creative Director Bernhard Heiden, who has been with the company since 2001.