So far, in my posts, I have been mainly posting about fashion - retail stores, my personal passion. But for majority of food lovers in Singapore, (Mind you, I bet 9 in 10 or 10 in 10 Singaporeans love and have very picky tongues for food given the variety and standard of food available here. New cafes and pubs spring up almost every other day. And even Mr Gordon Ramsay lost in challenges to our favorite local food - laksa and chicken rice.) I've decided to do a post of how food can entice you right from their display. This is probably very much inspired from Japan some time ago, where they usually make these plastic food replicas of actual food that they sell in-store, like this one seen below:
This is one corner of the store. I like the bird cages on some of the desserts, and the high-low plinths to create rhythm.
Store font of Dolce Tokyo: Italian coffee, Japanese desserts, Somerset 313 Singapore
We have tons of bubble tea stores in Singapore, but one with a chemistry set-up showcasing the bright colourings of bubble tea? Only London can think of this!
Even normal supermarkets can have an amazing window! Look at this by Mark & Spencers and you'll know: Afternoon tea, cakes and sandwiches, very Brit! Note that display here is in a pyramid form. The baskets and crates give a rustic and natural feel to the foods. (Fortnum and Mason does this too, but I'll leave that for another post.)
Now, Italian, Italian, Italian! How they love their hams, tomatoes, olives and pasta. The display here is excessive, almost not knowing where to focus! But certainly everything here, the fruits, the eggs and the plants on the sides, evokes the feeling of freshness. I like how the eggs are placed in a basket that looks like a nest, and with those shavings, it's akin to telling you, "We have an in-house hen, she just laid them."
Seethe faux grass patches from the bottom, don't they remind you of a field/farm? Below that, the marble/granite covering the shelves is also something very Italian; most top notch granite/marble is from Italy, something learnt from my mum, whose work deal with these exquisite stones. There is a very posh feel that tags with it, which is also why, in Singapore, expensive houses usually have these for flooring.
The store name, in case you would like to go visit someday!
For a place selling plain orange juice in a corner of V&A museum, what's there to attract customers? This store makes use of vertical space near the staircase, a very strategic move; so that customers coming down from above, or like me, moving past this corner to the bookstore, would immediately notice this extensive display. Reminds me of Rapunzel's hair coming down from the tower actually!
Last, but not least. Let's end with desserts! In fact, this is my favorite food display. It's a pity I don't have the name to this cafe. Anyways, I totally have no idea what this is, scone? Cake? Muffin? Giant donuts? But the colours appeal to me, and right why you're peering in, you'll probably bump into or notice the white plate stating the menu for the cafe, cool idea for people like me who might not be ready to just pop into a store that looks posh.
More, more. They really know how to attract attention; dedicated an entire long window to these displays.
Take my word, Lady M, if you do something like this, there'll be at least 20% increase in your business. 'Cause I had no idea what your store is selling every single time I walk pass your Marina Square outlet. Doesn't help there's no waiter/waitress at the entrance to explain, no visuals, no menu. And I say this, because I can tell from your website, your confectionery/pastry/cake/desserts are good. There's no need to keep all of us wondering.
xoxo,
Yuhan
P.S: I liked the fact that they decided to do a temporary label for the shopping mall signage so that it is all in tune with the theme!
