Year in Retail: Elevating Shopping Experiences
My role as Retail Development Manager at Baltika involves enhancing the infrastructure and strategy of retail businesses to optimize sales and customer experience. This entails overseeing the planning, construction, design, opening, and shuttering of stores. Indeed, it allows me to do a lot of shopping, which I thoroughly enjoy. For those acquainted with me, my passion for innovation and affinity for all things new is quite apparent.
In the past year, we embarked on major renovations, completely revitalizing two of our crucial stores. The Riga Galleria Ivo Nikkolo and Rocca al Mare Ivo Nikkolo stores underwent significant transformations, aligning with our new concept and vision. As part of our new store concept, these stores now feature more spacious fitting rooms and a comfortable lounge area for plus ones to support their companion’s style choices.
For interior design enthusiasts, the arrival of new items brings a special joy, a sentiment shared by the transformations of these stores. The introduction of new elements, especially our favored peachy tones, has been a delightful change, making even the palest Nordic skin tones appear vibrant. Notably, the Rocca al Mare store boasts our first LED screen measuring 3520x2160mm, which is a significant addition. In total, we have now fully implemented the Ivo Nikkolo new concept in six stores.
In addition to these substantial projects, we have rejuvenated two additional stores, the Pärnu Keskus Ivo Nikkolo and Riga Galleria Centre Ivo Nikkolo, enhancing their appeal and functionality. These projects also prioritized sustainability, repurposing furniture from closed stores to achieve aesthetically appealing results.
Our efforts extend beyond mere renovations; we continuously tweak store layouts and furniture setups to ensure the best shopping experience for our customers. This involves considerable physical activity, obviating the need for gym visits, as daily tasks contribute to physical fitness. Apologies to the gyms, but my presence is reserved for January 2nd; the remainder of my time is dedicated to our stores.
Strategic decisions are imperative for all businesses to ensure judicious use of energy and resources. For us, this involved closing five stores in 2023 – four in Lithuania and one in Estonia – as part of a strategic shift towards enhancing our brand presence in high-traffic areas where our customer base is strong. Although difficult, such decisions are integral to business operations.
Looking forward to 2024, we have already commenced the year on a high note with the reopening of the Šiauliai Akropolis Ivo Nikkolo store on February 9th. This updated store now sports a smaller footprint, alongside refreshed interiors and a revamped fitting room area, reflecting our commitment to continual improvement and exceptional retail experience.
Here’s to another year of innovation, growth, and dedication to delivering excellence to our cherished customers. We are looking forward to your visit to our stores!
In addition to these substantial projects, we have rejuvenated two additional stores, the Pärnu Keskus Ivo Nikkolo and Riga Galleria Centre Ivo Nikkolo, enhancing their appeal and functionality. These projects also prioritized sustainability, repurposing furniture from closed stores to achieve aesthetically appealing results.
Marek Kornõšev
Retail Development Manager at Baltika Group
