Notes of Design: Lowe’s & Menards

By Elizabeth Buckhold

Lowe’s

Attention Grabber

Attention Grabber: Lowe’s

After entering the front doors, there is a breezeway with carts and random merchandise piled up for sale, creating a chaotic, cluttered feeling. As you continue into the store, the entry way is surrounded with a sample of spring products for purchase: water bottles, charcoal, flower bulbs. While the products introduce a light, springy environment, they are piled and cluttered in a haphazard way. However, they lead into the next eye-catching display.

Attention Grabber

Attention Grabber: Lowe’s

Beyond the immediate displays, the outdoor furniture display is laid out to invite customers to sit and experience. There is a relaxing environment with fake trees and outdoor rungs laid out to complete the effect. Susanka would approve of this area, as a huge area is transformed to feel small and homey.

Attention Grabber

Signage: Lowe’s

The signs serve as an excellent organizational structure. Signs hanging from the high ceiling direct customers to select areas of the store where further signs on each aisle direct customers to the specific area they need. The signs follow the blue and gray color scheme and are placed appropriately, functionally and aesthetically.

Attention Grabber

Signage: Lowe’s

Brand names are displayed above specific areas, viewable from most points in the store. They are located above the appropriate department and offer a feeling of credibility and quality.

Attention Grabber

Signage: Lowe’s

Lowe’s has effectively placed their logo at the beginning of every aisle with the Lowe’s labeled 5-gallon buckets. Their Low Prices slogan is displayed several places around the store, constantly reminding the consumer of the financing opportunities available.

Attention Grabber

The Above and Below: Lowe’s

The ceilings, constructed out of traditional warehouse-style metal, are very high. All lighting is fluorescent and the ceiling is a grayish white; the floors are a dark gray concrete. The metal, wire shelving is a lighter gray. The gray lightens as it ascends, creating a light, high feeling.

Attention Grabber

The Above and Below: Lowe’s

Lowe’s color scheme is blue and gray, which dominate their entire décor. There is a slight accent of a lime green, but the blue and grey dominate the scene. It is used in the all signage: the floor, shelving and ceiling, and even the product placement, creating a calm and clean sense from everything from the floor to the products.

Attention Grabber

Visuals: Lowe’s

The products are displayed in a very organized manner, with bigger items and additional product stacked high over head. The aisles are wide, while merchandise is used to create additional aisles in the wide aisles located at the front and back of the store. The wide aisles and high ceilings give the area a spacious feel despite the overloaded shelves and product displays.

Menards

Attention Grabber

Attention Grabber: Menards

After entering the front doors of Menards, there is a display of windshield de-icer on boxes and palettes, reminded the customer of the cold air on the other side of the door. Beyond the immediate displays, there are random cleaning products, such as paper towels and laundry detergent at so-called discount prices. There are also winter gloves at the end of the entry way, again reminding the customer of the cold.

Attention Grabber

Signage: Menards

There are signs hanging from the ceiling to direct the customer to the correct department. Some signs are crudely hand made, while others are professional and placed at the end of the aisles, indicating the content of each. However, most have obviously been created by staff, giving the consumer a rudimentary, cheap feel.

Attention Grabber

Signage: Menards

Brand names are located on the floor, though barely noticeable as they blend in. They are placed in the appropriate departments, but the lack of color makes the signs blend right in with the cream tiles of the floor. They do not attract the appropriate attention.

Attention Grabber

Signage: Menards

The Menards logo is absent from the store; however, the “No Interest in 12 month” sign is placed in several places around the store, both from the ceiling and at eye level, reminding the consumer at all times of the financing offers available.

Attention Grabber

The Above & Below: Menards

The floor is tiled, creating a department store feeling. The metal shelving is a matching shade of cream and does not go over head-height for most of the store. If you are standing in one corner of the store, you can see over to the opposite corner; however, the outer lying shelves do stretch up to the ceiling. The aisles are narrow with merchandise heaped on the shelves on both sides. The ceiling has cream panels covering it. There is fluorescent lighting the entire length of the store, giving the cream décor a bright, yellowish hue, so everything looks aged.

Attention Grabber

Visuals: Menards

The products are organized into the appropriate areas; however, they are jumbled and look rummaged through. This aisle gives the customer a feeling of disarray and lack of attention from Menard’s staff.

Attention Grabber

Visuals: Menards

Menard’s color scheme is a nightmarish rainbow: red, orange, and yellow. These are bright, enticing colors, but they are smeared across cream tiles, shelves and ceiling along with a lot of green, which stands out and offers a calming effect amidst the over vibrant red hues screaming through the store.

The End