New Seasons Market | Slabtown in Portland Oregon
After having worked at NSM for 10 years as a Graphic Designer I was promoted to Environmental Graphic Designer for all of our future stores as well as remodels.
Slabtown was my first Environmental Design project. I concepted and created the store decor package as well as; wayfinding, menu boards, and the overall environmental graphics program.
Working with a neighborhood historian and author of the book, Images of America Portland’s Slabtown, Norm Gholston, I gained some historic knowledge of the area. Using our conversations to inform my design ideation, I created an authentic retail experience that engaged the neighborhood shopper as well as provided a current design aesthetic that worked multifunctionally, providing sign systems along side of “hero” pieces that tied in history with the functionality of a grocery shopping experience.
I worked with fabricators to develop my design work under aggressive timelines and limited provided assets to deliver our very first neighborhood specific store decor package.
I lead, designed and created all files for design decor with the intention of elevating the retail decor experience. I wanted to have a cohesive, warm, branded feeI.
By utilizing wood, steel and textural elements I pulled the community vibe into the space. I worked closely with NSM construction design team to source all materials as well as with fabricators to execute the build out of all of the decor pieces.
Executing this project from concept to completion I designed the store decor package; from wayfinding, menu boards, service signs, operational signs and all of the “hero” pieces. I also put together and designed the fabrication deck for build out.
This was our first New Seasons Market in Seattle. The store had to call attention to who NSM was as a brand. I wanted to again leverage the neighborhood into the decor package to create familiarity.
Designing all of the “hero” pieces as well as all of the way finding and operational signs enabled me to create a cohesive brand experience.
Sunnyvale was the second NSM in the Northern California area. It was however, the first that started as NSM and not a transition store from our New Leaf Community Brand.
This store was the first of its kind to have a new approach to our decor package. I worked closely with a design agency, illustrators and a typography specialist to create a standard store decor “kit of parts” that I could then carry to all of our new and remodeled NSM stores.
Raleigh Hills was NSM’s first store, opening back in 2000.
The Raleigh Hills remodel was intended to set the stage for several more of NSM’s Portland Area store remodels. Having created a store decor “kit of parts” for previous out of market stores, I pulled the elements that I designed, into the 2018 remodel.
From the decor to the operational signs I designed a totality of work that elevated the NSM brand. Working within a tight budget I was able to transform the retail space.
New Seasons Market Arbor Lodge is the second in the Portland area to get a remodel. I designed all environmental, operational, and wayfinding pieces. Adhering to brand standards that I had created for their out-of-market stores, bringing the past into the present design specifications.
Set for remodel in mid September 2018.
Applying the principles of creative design and leveraging all of my design tools, I used; InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, SketchUp, Blue Beam Revue and Acrobat, to create comprehensive fabrication decks for each of my store decor packages. Each deck was used for fabricators, stakeholders, store teams to review prior to build out as well as being used as a spec guide for the build out of all of my designs.
Over the course of my 13 years at NSM I did a lot of print pieces. Most of my print collateral was done during my first 10 years, then my direction was shifted to Environmental Design.
This collection of collateral pieces was one of my favorite bodies of branded departmental print work.
Leading the creative for this project, I visualized and implemented a cohesive, branded kit of parts for NSM Nutrition Services Team.
Building from our overarching brand, I used illustrations and fonts to create a fun, quirky approach that would best engage our customers.
This is small sampling of the contents of the booklets.
In my spare time I love to doodle and noodle. I find inspiration in all things around me, taking in my environment I often will sketch or doodle to keep ideas rolling. Everything from mixed media projects, freelance design work, pottery, painting, Modge Podge, scratch board, and tinkering with my many musical instruments, I like to stay creative.
In my environmental designs, I usually roughly sketch out my ideas prior to taking them into the tool of choice for next phase of my ideation process. From there I flesh out my ideas in the Adobe Creative Suite.
