Blog #24: Arnzen Drug Displa

So one of our assigned blog topics was a trip and critique of a display of some kind. Quite honestly, most of the local museums and such were closed in my hometown. But the shoppes were quite busy. There is this one store on my town's mainstreet called Arnzen Drug. It's a locally owned pharmacy, electronic, and useless nicknack store.

The windos have always humored me as it is cram filled with kitsch collectibles; porceline cats, glass wind chimes, stuffed animals, religious memorabilia. From the look of this display window you'd never guess they sold drugs. This got me thinking about the specific need for a display window to either really advertise the quality of a stores merchandize or if anything else trick them into thinking you sell really cool stuff.

I can't really say if Arnzen Drug does either of those. Some of those window objects have been there for years. Clearly no one is interested in them enough to buy them. In my opinion there is so much else the store has to offer. And in terms of display, there doesn't seem to be any structure, theme, or method to the madness that is that window. Whatever the owners consider most appealing and where ever it might fit seems to be the way it's set up.

the lovely Ms. Hurley

I recall a past schoolmate of mine by the name of Brianna Hurley. She reminded me very much of current classmate Maria Garth in that she could easily be classified as "vintage". She had a magical eye for cool things in thrift stores and created a neo 1950's style that was all her own. Now there was a shoppe about 2 blocks away from our dorms in NYC called OFF BROADY. It was a vintage store run by an old woman who wore big hats and an endless pile of jewelry. I recall having passed the shoppe several times but due to the poor display, thought it was a gawdy costume shoppe. The manaquinns were dressed in outfits that were mismatched or just too period/old to be trendy to anyone in the city. However, one day after I had returned to the city, I passed the shopped and was amazed at how the display window had changed. It now actually looked like a legit fashion store. The plastic girls were now wearing very posh outfits with matching accessories. Very nice jewelry was on display as well as hats. And I remember thinking, Brianna would LOVE this place. Well the display window had done its job of sucking me into the shoppe to see what else was new. In general the shopp was more put together and organized in terms of semi, formal, or casual wear; warm or cold wear and so on. And there in her usual chair with her big had, 16 strands of pearls wrapped around her neck, and a cane sat that old woman. She hadn't changed at all. But as I looked behind one of the counters I saw a familiar face that explained A LOT. It was Brianna! She had started working there and because of her creative directing, she had truly revitalized that store to appeal to a younger cartell and apparently had increased business by over 40%!!!.

Despite my digression, Arnzens (as it's locally called) is one of those stores that may suprise you with what it has and because it's a business cornerstone to the community it doesn't have to worry about "slow business". Nonetheless, I think THEY might be suprised with what a little sprucing up could do. Do a holiday window painting! Mix the displayed merchandise up a little with regards to the seasons! I actually believe that because it is just a frequented store and a staple to the community that it is their civic duty to set the tone of the town. Really push that modern commercialism mixed with holiday cheer in our faces. Show us toys, an electric train set, and that anamotronic Santa this Christmas! Get us excited about the holidays! In NYC that's actually a big thing. No matter what you're selling, the creativity of a store's window display is really what got people coming in. And because of this I have been tricked into a store! oh yes. Their window display featured nothing they really sold but because I went in there, I took the time and browsed.

Monday, November 29, 2010 by Amidanah Rohmah · 0