Dunnes Stores are a family owned Irish retailer selling fashion, homewares and food, with a 23.2% share of the groceries market in Ireland. They have a diverse range of properties including supermarkets, out-of-town retail sheds, city centre department stores, convenience stores, etc. We were appointed to audit a variety of their property typologies to identify strengths and weaknesses. This was followed by the development of several retail concepts to respond to our findings. The celebration of ‘food meets fashion’ and Dunnes’ heritage was central to these concepts. The Dunnes Gallery is a space at the heart of larger single level stores showcasing celebrity designer fashion ranges, premium food ranges, a heritage café and performance delicatessens. The gift emporium, a one stop shop for the purchasing of gifts and related services, was considered for flagship city centre locations. Several visual merchandising features were developed including a multifunctional, modular display system and escalator merchandising features which encourage vertical circulation by promoting the retail offer on adjacent levels.
