In developing the Charles Luck Stone Center and its innovative design studio, company associates traveled to cities such as New York City and Milan, and they studied the practices of upscale retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Prada, Gucci and others. They examined factors such as product lighting, merchandising, staff appearance, customer interaction and a multitude of other factors. “We wanted to understand how the best in the world are able to succeed,” explained Mark Fernandes, President of Charles Luck Stone Center. “We also learned that the experience of the purchase is as important as the product itself.”
Additionally, the company worked with the design community and some end user focus groups to gain insight. “They wanted something that was unique and different, but that was also in a language that they could understand,” Fernandes said. “Stone has a built-in history and a story to it that people can relate to on an emotional level.”