{"id":11127,"date":"2023-12-05T08:15:41","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T08:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/fern-hill-market-a-sip-of-small-town-shopping\/"},"modified":"2023-12-05T08:15:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T08:15:41","slug":"fern-hill-market-a-sip-of-small-town-shopping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/fern-hill-market-a-sip-of-small-town-shopping\/","title":{"rendered":"Fern Hill Market: A Sip of Small Town Shopping"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>
\n<\/p>\n

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Taylor
\nPrystawsky decided she needed a new challenge. An interior decorator by trade,
\nshe worked with builders to turn houses into homes. In her spare time, she
\nbrought on the bling, decorating upwards of 30 Christmas trees each season. She
\nhung up her paint charts to raise her family, but after 14 years the itch to do
\nsomething else needed more than a scratch.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Taylor
\nbegan her new adventure in January 2020 when she answered an ad for retail
\nspace in historic East Dundee, Illinois and soon the River
\nStreet Collective had a new tenant, selling home d\u00e9cor goods in a 12\u2019x12\u2019
\nroom. Two months later Covid hit and the store closed. Four months after it
\nreopened Taylor was no longer a tenant, she owned the joint, juggling 27
\nvendors.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Even
\nthough managing that many diverse vendors, plus her own shop wasn\u2019t easy, it
\nstill wasn\u2019t enough for Taylor. In January of 2021 she began to search for new space,
\nhitting the jackpot when she found the historic Christian Geister House in the nearby
\nvillage of Algonquin, Illinois was available. So, she closed the River Street
\nCollective and went to work. With help from her husband and father-in-law, who
\nmade and installed most of the fixtures, she was able to flip the almost 4000
\nsquare foot house in four weeks. Fern Hill Market, featuring Sips on Main Caf\u00e9
\n& Wine Bar (owned by tenant Kate Micheletto), made its debut in June of
\n2022.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We
\nhave a thing for old houses and the Christian Geister House is one of our favorites.
\nBuilt in 1892 and meticulously maintained, it\u2019s a beautiful example of Queen
\nAnne architecture that features a steeply pitched cross-gabled roof, dormers, more
\ngables, a turret tower, lots of stained glass, and a private garden. It was the
\nfirst building in Algonquin to be listed on the National Register of Historic
\nPlaces by the National Park Service.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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Taylor
\nis the best kind of retailer; the kind that is new to the game and has no idea
\nof what works and what doesn\u2019t. Retailers like this are fearless and open to
\ntrying anything. If it doesn\u2019t turn out quite like expected, Taylor tweaks it
\nand tries again.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Customers
\nand her community are as important to her as they are to her business, this has
\nmade her a big believer in Shoppertainment: the combination of in-store events
\nand shopping. Fern Hill Market and Sips on Main partner to host a number of
\nevents each year. It\u2019s not unusual to see customers enjoying monthly wine
\ntasting nights or classes on flower arranging, calligraphy, gardening and
\npainting. Upcoming events include the popular Algonquin Wine Walk where participants
\npay $50 each to sample wines at 19 different stops. Fern Hill Market is the
\nsecond stop and visitors are invited to shop while sipping.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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\n
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Sips
\non Main Caf\u00e9 & Wine Bar offers customers a selection of wine and beer
\noptions available for purchase. This room also doubles as the store\u2019s
\nclassroom, hosting a variety of monthly events including a monthly wine pairing
\nnight. Pictured: Christmas Cookies & Wine Pairing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Taylor
\nincorporates craft and foodie events in her class calendar; Paint & Sip
\nclasses are a customer favorite. Always looking for ways to increase foot
\ntraffic, she takes part in every village sponsored event. She also participates
\nin an annual Vintage Shop Hop, a self-guided road trip to vintage shops,
\nantique stores and boutiques, all located within driving distance of her store.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

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The
\ninfamous Sanderson Sisters from the Hocus Pocus movies posed for pictures with
\ntrick or treaters outside of Fern Hill Market during Algonquin\u2019s Annual Old
\nTown Trick-or-Treat Trail, attended by over 5000 people. All of South Main
\nStreet closes for families to enjoy a night out that finishes with a movie in a
\nnearby park. In December Algonquin holds Miracle on Main, a night of holiday festivities.
\nSanta arrives on Main Street while The Grinch graces Fern Hill Market. Lines
\nfor photos with both are long.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

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Fern
\nHill Market hosts a 4-hour Holiday Open House each November. It\u2019s a ticketed event
\nwhere shoppers pay $15 to get a first look at holiday merchandise (at full
\nprice). This year shoppers were treated to a concert by a string quartet, enjoyed
\na glass of wine or specialty cocktail, and sampled a complimentary charcuterie
\nspread and desserts. Many visitors make it an evening out, first attending the
\nopen house, then grabbing dinner at a local restaurant nearby.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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How
\nmany boutiques have you visited lately that all seem to sell the same things? That
\ndoesn\u2019t happen at Fern Hill Market because Taylor sources locally as much as
\nshe can. Other buying happens via sales reps who stop in, along with the
\nmarkets she visits throughout the year. She makes a point to visit every showroom,
\nnot just her favorites. And she rarely buys from a vendor\u2019s list of top 10-25
\nitems. She buys to standout.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

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When
\nyour store is located in a house each room has its own decompression zone and
\neach room needs its own speed bump display. Several things are happening here
\nin the apparel room: the multi-level metal stands offer height and create a
\npyramid that causes a shopper\u2019s eye to unconsciously move about the display,
\nseeing more product at the same time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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This
\nrack is located inside the front room of the house, directly across from the
\ncash wrap. There is no room for an official speed bump in this space so this
\nrack changes frequently to give shoppers a preview of what they will find as
\nthey move throughout the many rooms of the store. Its nearness to the cashwrap
\nalso encourages impulse purchases.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

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Displays
\nat Fern Hill Market are curated to tell a story. Smart move. Stories
\norganically sell additional product because they silently suggest shoppers
\nchoose more than one thing. Shoppers like product stories because it helps them
\nvisualize how the items will look in their homes; you like them because the
\nextra sales add to your bottom line.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Three
\npots, three vases, three plants. Grouping items in threes may be an interior
\ndecorator trick, but three is also the magic number in retail display. Groups
\nof three encourage shoppers to become more visually engaged with the display.
\nThey see how good the items look together, tempting them to purchase more than
\none. Note that the three items do not need to be the same, it’s the number that
\nmatters most.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\n

<\/div>\n

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At
\njust 10 years old, Taylor\u2019s son Max became Fern Hill Market\u2019s youngest vendor.
\nMax\u2019s gorgeous charcuterie boards are favorites of customers who appreciate
\nlocally-made and artisanal products. The kid\u2019s an entrepreneur and an
\ninspiration.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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Reinforced
\nvinyl slatwall provides an attractive and flexible means to display a variety
\nof products. Reinforced slats are important when it comes to slatwall. The last
\nthing any retailer needs is a display that comes crashing to the floor. Or on a
\ncustomer.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Two
\netageres, a console table, and slatwall combine to create an attractive display
\nin an upstairs hallway. Small fixtures like these allow for the most
\nflexibility when building display vignettes. The dark walls help the product
\nstand out and the wall paper adds a whimsical touch.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

This
\ndisplay is located in the main room upstairs. The mannequin is
\ncross-merchandised with apparel pieces that are available on the first floor. We
\nlove chandeliers in stores because they add a touch of the unexpected. Taylor
\nhas added several throughout the house.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Wall
\nstandards are the workhorse of store display when gondolas are not utilized.
\nOnce again, the display is curated and the combination of shelved and hanging
\nproducts makes it visually interesting. We like the uncomplicated, clean look
\nof this wall. The neutral color scheme allows the merchandise to be the first
\nthing shoppers notice, not the fixture.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Random
\nobjects, like these old wooden spools, make great fixtures and add to the
\nambiance of your store. Just make sure the found objects you choose are hardy
\nenough to withstand rowdy shoppers.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Fixturing
\nat Fern Hill Market is a combination of  antique,
\nand modern and sleek. The apparel fixturing is the latter; custom made by her
\nhusband from steel gas line piping and painted to blend in with the rest of the
\nstore\u2019s d\u00e9cor.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Every
\npart of Fern Hill Market is merchandised. Here, the stairway provides the
\nperfect backdrop for framed pieces, like these signs and paper calligraphy
\nscrolls designed by Alyssa Eliot of Cottonwood Shanty. Perhaps you have a
\ncorner or nook on your sales floor that\u2019s wasted space and is crying out for a
\nmakeover? Think of the possibilities!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

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You may
\nhave heard us mention the KIZER & BENDER Bathroom School of Management. <\/i>We
\ncan absolutely tell how well a store is run by the condition of the women\u2019s
\nrest room \u2013 if it\u2019s a mess, so is the store. The restroom at Fern Hill Market is
\nmaintained with the same care that is taken throughout the house.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A
\ntrip to Fern Hill Market offers customers a shopping experience that goes
\nbeyond just shopping. It\u2019s the chance to explore the history of wonderful old home,
\ndiscover new products, gather ideas, and enjoy a glass of wine all at the same
\ntime. If retail therapy is on your agenda, we can\u2019t think of a better way to
\nspend an afternoon!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


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<\/span><\/p>\n

COPYRIGHT KIZER & BENDER 2023  |  Retail Adventures Blog<\/span><\/p>\n

This article first appeared in Creative Retailer Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Taylor Prystawsky decided she needed a new challenge. An interior decorator by trade, she worked with builders to turn houses into homes. In her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}