Liquor Lodge (Jasper, AB)
When photos of Liquor Lodge hit our Instagram feed, it stopped us in our tracks. The images showed such careful design consideration in a retail environment, focusing as much on the environment as the wine itself. When we later found out this Jasper, Alberta, liquor store used a bespoke interior designer firm, Laurie Griffiths Designs, to pull off the look, we had to learn more.
By The Numbers
- 4,035 Bottle Capacity
- 2 Styles of VintageView Wine Racks
- 2007 Founded
Design Challenge
Making a big space feel boutique.
It’s not often that we see liquor stores taking the care and effort to improve the guest experience through interior design. For all that effort, Liquor Lodge is not only one of Alberta’s favorite wine shops, it’s a winner of the prestigious Chairman’s Award at Alberta Liquor Store Association’s annual conference for retail excellence in equal parts the amazing wine selection and attention to interior beauty.
Designer Bio
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Experience: 15+
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Obsessed with...: French Bulldogs
The Solution
Hiring an interior design firm to lead the process that balanced the need for massive, visible bottle storage with a layout that invites customers to interact with the selections.
“A talented designer sees the things you would not and has a professional skill to design spaces to suit your needs,” says Marc LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Liquor Lodge. “Choosing not to use a designer is a common mistake and is more expensive than using one.”
Using VintageView wine rack solutions — both wall mounted and freestanding — provided the interaction point by offering label-forward storage in aisles and on the wall.
Design Approach
This mega-store emphasizes aesthetics every bit as much as experience. This means selecting elevated racking products over much cheaper, common metal shelves. The result being a store that packs in bottles while still maintaining a look befitting of an interior design studio.
“Cheaper is not our way,” LeBlanc says. “Better is always our first choice.”
Lesson Learned
A talented designer sees the things you would not and has a professional skill to design spaces to suit your needs. Choosing not to use a designer is a common mistake and is more expensive than using one.
