Exciting New Design Proposals for Unicorn Grocery

Have you picked up your latest copy of the Unicorn Grocery newsletter?

Unicorn and Phaus are pleased to announce that their store is expanding and getting a face lift.

Phaus is Unicorn’s local design consultancy and Chorlton based directors, Heather Allen and Paul Swindles, are long standing customers. Being experts in retail design we are the natural choice of partner to tackle some longstanding issues and refresh this well-loved store.

Unicorn Grocery Entrance Design Proposal by Phaus

The proposal features a new extension adding over 500sqft (14% of the current sales area) to the retail experience, a new deli and bakery section, as well as new shelving with greater flexibility to evolve the store with more self-serve goods. Delivering a practical yet visually exciting proposal that elevates the bold use of colour, that’s so important to Unicorn’s DNA, to another level.

We have collaborated with local based Loop Architects to develop the design of the extension. The design has been largely driven by the needs of the retail space within, including expanding the fruit and veg offer and alleviating congestion.

Designing for Today’s Retail Challenges at Unicorn Grocery 

Covid has certainly played its part at informing the design. The new extension will facilitate a covered area, in case there’s a queue, and greater space for customers on entrance and exit. In these socially distanced times improvements to the customer flow and experience are essential to any retailer.

It will maintain that all important natural light through large circular light tubes to the roof and glazed sections to the elevations. The proposal also provides increased bike parking and green living wall and what we intend to be the most beautiful covered trolley park in the West.

 “As regular customers and local residents, working with Unicorn Grocery is such a privilege and a pleasure as it’s pretty close to our hearts. We also get how sensitively we need to handle the design of this very much loved cornerstone of the Chorlton community. This isn’t about a radical rethink but an evolved better version of itself that delivers that familiar joyful feeling, in a well-functioning store for both customers and cooperative members, with sustainability at the forefront.’ – Heather Allen (Director at Phaus)

We hope you are as excited as we are about the proposals and we can’t wait to share future developments with you.

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