DISCUSSION
Schnucks displays St. Louis pride with streetwear store-within-a-store concept
Written by RetailWire Staff
Photo: Arch Apparel
Regional grocer Schnuck Markets’ latest store concept experiment will let customers get themselves fashionably outfitted while getting their groceries.
Schnucks announced it would remodel of a St. Louis location, adding space for an Arch Apparel store-within-a-store, according to Supermarket News. Arch Apparel is a St. Louis-based streetwear brand with a variety of products featuring designs that demonstrate hometown pride, such as STL logo shirts. Even the company’s name references the city’s iconic Gateway Arch. The brand also involves itself in a variety of local community-centered activities.
Schnuck Markets is not the only grocer to add some local flavor to its assortment with an apparel partnership.
Midwest grocer Meijer recently announced a new apparel partnership bearing some similarity to Schnucks, although it is not set up as a store-within-a-store. The grocer has begun stocking an exclusive line of clothing from Merit Goodness at two Detroit locations, consisting of Detroit-themed hoodies and t-shirts, Hour Detroit reported. Twenty percent of profits from Merit Goodness go to the brand’s affiliated non-profit, which helps Detroit high school students go to college. Prior to the Meijer deal the brand was only available online and at a limited-run pop-up.
Other regional grocers have also piloted store-within-a-store concepts for non-grocery selections — both in and out of apparel. Hy-Vee introduced DSW shoe shops last year inside its stores with plans to add them in 120 locations. This year, the grocer also partnered with W Nail Bar to offer in-store manicures, pedicures and a variety of other salon services in select stores.
The Arch Apparel deal is not Schnuck Markets’ first experiment with a store-within-a-store setup that promotes a local St. Louis vendor. The grocer partnered in 2017 with Volpi Foods, a local specialty meat producer, to open an in-store shop operated by Volpi employees featuring the brand’s artisanal cured meats.
Schnucks’ remodel will also include a new food hall featuring service counters from a number of popular local restaurants, according to Supermarket News.