So here I go with the décor posts I promised! Starting it off is millennium décor, since it's the one I am most familiar with (it is in my local store after all -
but won't be for much longer.) Sadly, it's no longer in many other area Kroger locations as well, replaced along the way with script or, most recently, 2012 décor (both of which will be featured in upcoming décor posts). This décor style is named as such because it arose at the turn of the millennium. This - and this series of - post(s) will mainly be pictorial looks at each décor style, with photographs* by fellow flickr user
kingskip1, fellow blogger
l_dawg2000, and
myself. Let's begin!
Stores built with millennium décor typically look like this one, with a central gable and a predominantly blue color scheme on the awnings' paneling.
As one walks in a millennium store, the first thing he or she likely sees is the produce area, dubbed "Garden Market." All department signs of millennium décor are basically boxed-in rectangles, flanked by the baseline green strip, vertical columns, and striped banner on either side above, which changes into a solid color for the sign itself, and featuring artists' renditions of typical products of the department with the department name itself and typically, although not in this case, a smaller banner with some descriptive details attempting to tempt shoppers.
Of course, nothing's ever that simple! Not all millennium stores were built as such, so just as millennium stores have been remodeled into later and greater décor packages, so too were older models remodeled with millennium. This one is the biggest anomaly I have seen - the angled ceiling makes it really hard for the Garden Market signage to connect cohesively with the rest of the décor! As such, the green trim surrounds the sign completely here. You can also see in this particular photo the tri-flagged banners that adorn wall spaces throughout the store (not pictured here, but previously, are the triangles which constitute the rest of the millennium wall train), as well as the flat upper striped banner - something I've seen in some cases, usually remodels, whereas most millennium-built stores seem to have the three-dimensional version.
From there, one would encounter the bakery and deli. A more typical form of bakery sign - excuse me, "Bread and Pastry" sign - is seen here, but below is one lacking the enticing "Piping Hot and Fresh" banner.
After that comes the deli, and it appears we've lost another part of the rectangle! This store has most elements of a regular Kroger Deli sign - "Quality Service" banner included - but instead of the solid-colored banner attaching the sign to the striped one, it seems rather detached with the disconcerting empty white space. A regular deli sign is pictured below...
...or is it? No, it's not that it's missing the banner again - this "Kroger Deli" sign has adopted the more formal moniker of "Delicatessen." I'm not entirely sure which came first, but evidently both have been used.
Next comes Meat & Seafood or, as you'll see below, Choice Meats plus Seafood. Size restrictions, and not mutual disagreements, separate the departments from store to store.
Other décor features include the café, meals to go (which I don't think always gets designated signage), and floral.
Additionally, millennium décor carries elements throughout what would be considered regular areas of the store, such as health and beauty and kitchen supplies.
Moving on throughout the central, well, store part of the store, one can continue to see examples of millennium décor. Less prominent signs designate smaller departments, and of course aisle signs let shoppers know what to find, where.
And... how dare I forget dairy! I doubt you read this post as I put it up... but still :)
Along the leftmost wall in millennium-built stores is the Frozen Foods department. Remodeled stores likely didn't get this signage, as frozen foods were/are in the center. Too bad, because it's my favorite of the millennium signs!
Back along the front lie the pharmacy, checkouts, [in some cases] Little Clinic, and bank/money services area.
The above store even has a video rental/1 hour photo area! Nice feature there. However, my favorite feature of millennium stores has to be - and yes, I saved the best for last ;) - when Kroger adds "local flair" to the décor, as seen below from my local store.
Well that wraps up millennium décor! More photos, of course, can be found on flickr... and more décor posts are coming to the blog soon. For now, have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are!
Retail Retell
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* - I don't have the patience to credit or link to all these photos individually... turns out Blogger hates
me more than a single-digit number of photos in a post. Rest assured, though, that they are all taken from flickr - with permission, of course! - and you should be able to find them there by clicking the links for the contributors at the top of today's article.
