Roots Legends

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A pop-up shop puts down Roots in Boston

Hook:

What does it take for a retailer to make a splash in a new market? We have many ideas, such as an immersive environment that engages the customer and reimagines the retail experience, for example.

Retailers are exploring new markets by using temporary pop-up retail installations to test markets and engage with target audiences without a long-term, investment. Leading Canadian brand, Roots, wanted to test the Boston market with a pop-up concept they had developed. They came to Bergmeyer to collaborate on a concept refresh, creating an immersive, if only temporary, customer experience. Knowing the Boston market, and the Back Bay in particular, only added to our profile as the perfect partner.

The mission? Roots wanted to make a splash on Boston’s famed shopping mecca Newbury Street with a fresh-take on pop-up retail that was unlike anything a proper Bostonian had ever stepped into. This project needed to be designed, developed, and delivered, on a tight budget and condensed six-week schedule, with only 24 hours to start and complete the installation! Taking on this project, our team took a “do whatever it takes” approach, extending our services to sourcing and hiring the fabricators and providing half the installation labor ourselves. What followed was an engaging multilayered sensory experience, part interactive art exhibit, part reimagined retailer.

Upon entering Roots Legends’ gallery-style retail space, customers began a journey through a winter wonderland with five distinct winter scenes, each one a unique holiday-themed vignette. Each installation spins stories about the Roots brand and products into the visual merchandising displays, designed to evoke nostalgic feelings of “going home for the holidays.” The customer is physically drawn into each scene, encouraging them to engage with the products and delight in the holiday experience.

Instagrammable moments were made even more enjoyable by a photo booth with optimized lighting that allowed customers to share their photos by email or social media. Our team even went so far as to create distinct scents for each room, cinnamon, pine, and crisp air, that would envelop each customer in a full sensory experience.

The result? Roots’ most successful U.S. store yet. After this experience, people will want to seek and find their Roots, wherever they go.