Store Tour on Düsseldorf’s luxury mile Kö

Delighting customers with islands of light, beauty services and cooking events

by Julia Pott (exclusively for EuroShop.mag)

A store tour at the EuroShop trade press day already gave a good preview of the topics retailers are dealing with and the means and measures they are using to attract customers to their stores despite economically challenging times.

In just over two months, from February 26 to March 2, 2023, the next EuroShop, the world’s leading trade show for the retail industry and its partners, will take place in Düsseldorf. To inform journalists about which topics and highlights to expect at EuroShop 2023, a trade press day was held on 15.12.2022. A presentation was followed by a store tour along the Kö (short for Königsallee, “King’s Avenue”), the popular luxury shopping mile in Düsseldorf.

In the four stores, brand managers showed and explained how the stores are designed, what strategies are behind them and what services are intended to convince customers of the brands.

C. Bechstein Flagship Store

The C. Bechstein Centrum Düsseldorf at Adersstraße 12 impressed with a sophisticated store design that focused on the C. Bechstein grand piano in every sense. Reza Indrakesuma, the center manager of the C. Bechstein Centrum Düsseldorf, pointed out many details, the design of which not only allows for a space that can be used in many ways, but also offers something special for the eye in addition to the listening experience.

On the outside of the building front as well as inside, visitors can recognize the black arch of the C. Bechstein grand piano with the golden logo. // © EuroShop/Manleitner

Many monstera plants under the ceiling create the feeling of having landed in an oasis. Daylight also enters the store through open glass domes // © EuroShop/Pott

The white ceiling isles with indirect lighting create different centers in the large room // © EuroShop/Pott

In the flagship store, interested parties can not only listen to and try out grand pianos and uprights, concerts are also held there. The premises are equipped with recording and streaming technology. // © EuroShop/Manleitner

To provide the optimal acoustics and to be able to flexibly divide the room as needed, the gray room gliders were developed. The felt panels can be moved back and forth on rails. They absorb sound in the higher frequencies and can create some privacy during individual consultations. // © EuroShop/Pott

Another detail from the world of pianos are the grand piano strings made of stainless steel cable that decorate the ceiling as a grid. // © EuroShop/Pott

The design is the work of Barefoot Design // © EuroShop/Pott

Douglas House of Beauty

The Douglas House of Beauty at Königsallee 78 in Düsseldorf opened its doors in September 2022. Ninja Bender, Director International Store Experience at Douglas, gave a guided tour of the luxury branch, which aims to impress not only with its product range, but also with its Beauty Suite services in particular.

In the luxury store, close cooperation with major brands of the beauty industry play an important role. Examples are marketing campaigns, the presentation of goods inside, beauty services or the decoration on the outside facade for the Christmas season by Dior. // © EuroShop/Manleitner

The goods presentation inside is based on strict specifications. In the luxury store on the Kö, the major brands are housed on the first floor in gilded shelves // © EuroShop/Manleitner

The golden tones also continue on the upper floor, and the wallpaper on the wall next to the escalators is a real eye-catcher // © EuroShop/Pott

A special feature is the service offer in the Beauty Suite // © EuroShop/Manleitner

Several care booths, a doctor’s booth and a brand booth (currently equipped and operated by Clé de Peau) invite customers for individual advice and treatment // © EuroShop/Manleitner

In addition, there are four manicure and two pedicure stations, makeup tables and a small hair salon with one station. There is also a skin analysis station. // © EuroShop/Manleitner

A coffee bar with a view of the Kö invites visitors to linger // © EuroShop/Manleitner

With the Beauty Mirror, cosmetics can be virtually “tried on” via augmented reality. // © EuroShop/Pott

Miele Experience Center

Frank Schleicher, Head of Miele Retail GmbH, guided through the Miele Experience Center at the KÖ-Bogen in Düsseldorf.

Right at the beginning, it became clear that the employees of this store place great value on the advice and product experience of their clientele. The actual purchase, Schleicher explained, often takes place at the retailers, who frequently send interested customers to the Experience Center for detailed advice. // © EuroShop/Pott

Miele products such as washing machines, ironing boards, coffee makers, cooktops and vacuum robots can not only be viewed here, but also demonstrated and tried out. // © EuroShop/Pott

When providing information and advice, interactive digital elements such as screens and tablets help sales staff as a virtual shelf extension // © EuroShop/Pott

Customers can also click through the digital information themselves. In addition, there is the option of video consulting from home // © EuroShop/Pott

The gastronomic offering is not neglected either. Food is always prepared in the demonstration kitchen for events; professional chefs or baristas, for example, feed the clientele and are thus intended to make the products a multi-sensory experience. // © EuroShop/Pott

Breuninger Store Düsseldorf

The Breuninger store in Düsseldorf is benefiting because the luxury segment in retail is doing well despite the corona pandemic and the current economic situation, explains Andreas Rebbelmund, Managing Director of Breuninger Haus at Kö-Bogen in Düsseldorf.

According to Rebbelmund, the meaning of shopping has changed in recent years: „Shopping is no longer about meeting needs; shopping is about leisure.“ The purchase of the product is the result of the experience, he says // © EuroShop/Pott

Breuninger aims to create these experiences with fine product presentation, store design, a gastronomic offering – for example in Düsseldorf with the Sansibar – and numerous events and marketing campaigns. // © EuroShop/Pott

Rebbelmund says this includes events – not only in-house but also in the city – that draw people to the city center and at the same time get them excited about the Breuninger brand. // © EuroShop/Pott

What can be seen from all the examples: Retailers are by no means limiting themselves to the presentation of the product range. In the face of tough competition and difficult economic conditions, the aim is to offer experiences that attract consumers to the city centers and stores.