Market: Consumer Experiences

Two More PCC Stores Meet Rigorous Green Building Standards

PCC Community Markets (PCC), the largest community-owned food market in the United States, has received Living Building Challenge (LBC) Petal Certification for its West Seattle and Bellevue, Wash., cooperative locations. The stores join PCC’s Ballard location, the first grocery store to receive this recognition, in meeting what are considered the world’s most rigorous green-building standards to earn the LBC Materials, Place and Beauty Petals from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).

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Research & Insights

Understanding the Modern Grocery Shopper

September 2021 / By Melissa Gonzalez, Understanding the Modern Grocery Shopper
consumer experiences in grocery retail

In our constant curiosity and investigation of consumer behaviors and expectations, we utilize data insights to help uncover and validate where we can deliver true points of gratification within the customer journey. Here is a snapshot of key takeaways from our latest consumer survey. Our full deck with all our insights is available for download at the bottom of this preview.

HOW CAN WE ENHANCE THE GROCERY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE?

The dynamic of modern grocery is kaleidoscopic, with its definition and experience being driven by today’s consumers and our ever-changing world. How can we create a holistic and accessible experience?


READY TO LEARN MORE? GET THE FULL GROCERY CONSUMER INSIGHTS REPORT SENT RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

Brilliant Earth

jewelry-show-room-brilliant-earth-mg2-design

Approachable luxury

Since 2005, Brilliant Earth has offered the world ethically sourced, award-winning fine jewelry through its elevated web-based platform and personalized appointment-only showrooms. When the digitally-native company sought to expand its brick-and-mortar portfolio with open retail spaces, they partnered with MG2 to seamlessly translate the spirit of their digital brand and unique offerings into a real-world experience.

Like its jewelry, the retail design and rollout program for Brilliant Earth’s new showrooms was curated with thoughtful craftsmanship in every production phase. Previously, all the brand’s in-person experiences were appointment-only, with most of their spaces hidden away from window-shopping consumers on the upper floors of retail centers.

Utilizing a light, luminous, bright, and warm palette that reflected its online presence, MG2 designers brought an approachable luxury to Brilliant Earth’s new showroom experience. This new iteration of the store—the first of its kind for Brilliant Earth—brings an inviting, interactive, and educational retail experience into the brand’s program, diversifying its real estate potential with more premium, ground-level spaces, increasing awareness and engagement.

Brilliant Earth_Brooklyn

From planning to fixture design, the team boldly broke many industry barriers often seen in jewelry, such as the traditional horseshoe-shaped counters that often act as barriers.

Instead, in a direct reflection of the brand’s unique educational approach to the diamond shopping experience, MG2 designed a fixture package program that flexes and scales with each new space; a customizable kit-of-parts that can fit any format.

An entry kiosk once used to check customers in for their appointments evolved into a multi-functional digital tool. Now used to assist shoppers in industry and diamond education, the sizing of rings, and the check-out process, it’s a feature that further underlines the seamless integration of Brilliant Earth’s digital and physical offerings.

Caseline throughout the store is designed like furniture; display cases float lightly in the space, while round consultation tables equalize the service experience. This highly customized design and rollout program was achieved without raising the cost of construction for Brilliant Earth.

Brilliant Earth_Brooklyn

The Brooklyn location of Brilliant Earth represents a step forward for the brand while still adhering to the same kit of parts utilized in their other showrooms. Its unique building in Williamsburg features a vaulted ceiling and exposed brick, giving the space a larger and more roomy feel. This has granted merchandising room to grow, expanding the brand’s retail offering with six cases, an additional appointment station, and a more retail-focused reception area. With an emphasis on showcasing its fine jewelry products, this evolution in Brilliant Earth’s showroom design successfully balances its minimalist roots with an elevated, flexible retail agenda.

Similarly distinctive in its design hurdles and opportunities, Brilliant Earth’s King of Prussia showroom location—situated within a mall with limited egress and no natural light—presented unique challenges for the team to overcome. To bring the space to life, designers reprioritized the showroom’s configuration, eliminating the need for glazing, and added greater visual impact by utilizing large format graphics, wall casework, and incorporating merchandising above the cases. The warm and inviting retail story is solidified through the incorporation of recessed lighting, plush sofa seating, and education-centric pedestals at the front of the space.

The showroom’s private appointment stations were strategically relocated to the back of the space, providing guests with greater privacy while maximizing the overall flexibility of the design. By utilizing the same kit of parts as its other showrooms while adding new elements that reflect the brand, designers ensured that Brilliant Earth’s iconic bright and light personality prevailed within the confines of the darkened shopping center.

With each showroom brought to life across the country, this global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry continues to seamlessly preserve its online identity while defining new retail experiences for its consumers, each with its own unique flair.

WaFd Bank Headquarters

Restoring and refreshing a community cornerstone

Community-Driven Design

Washington Federal, a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest community, is one of the nation’s largest banking institutions with 235 branches across eight states. In conjunction with their brand refresh and transition to WaFd Bank, the business sought to reposition the interior and exterior of their flagship Seattle location, creating an experience and environment that resets the brand and its corporate headquarters. Design teams worked together to bring a modern, memorable destination to life, not just for banking clients but also for the entire Seattle community.

Illuminating a Landmark

Originally designed and built in the 1980s, the WaFd space located on the historical intersection of 5th and Pike in downtown Seattle was barely noticeable to passers-by as it faded behind the trees that stood outside. The teams sought to “empower the corner”, carefully curating an adaptive reuse effort while maintaining as much of the original 40-year-old stone exterior as possible.

MG2’s team achieved this feat through a series of design innovations: Shifting the entrance to a more visible, engaging location, we replaced the vacated spot with a vibrant, secure ATM experience. The reprogramming is complemented by a refreshed and illuminated external facade with the foundational design balancing bold, inviting digital signage and traditional architectural radiance. The canopy—now transparent—has been lightened and lifted, making the space more approachable to the community. Finally, new windows and glazing enhance visibility to the engaging branding within. These components harmoniously combine to pull the streetscape inward through a new entry vestibule, welcoming customers and passers-by alike.

Elevated Localization

Digital-first wayfinding and branding elements are custom-tailored to highlight WaFd’s new technology-forward strategy. It creates content zones that warmly celebrate everything from Seattle city culture to local sports teams, connect with the bank’s audience, and showcase their most essential services and features.

Complementing the technological approach are classic touches of an approachable, community-centered financial institution: gold and bronze elements combine with warm walnut, grass-green cloth coverings, and durable brand-centric finishes to breathe color and life into the otherwise neutral space. These features are easily changeable to evolve with WaFd’s newly implemented identity.

Programming, Harmonized

The concierge desk modernizes the space, bringing it into a new era while still embracing the building’s elegance and timeless permeance. It fosters a natural circulation and point of customer service throughout the lobby. Synchronized with the design of the space is an innovative user-centered banking process that creates new, flexible, friendly ways of connecting. WaFd’s hospitality-driven programming is strategically designed to allow for a symbiotic flow of bank staff and customers from teller interactions, loan appointments, and semi-private or private meetings.

The lobby further showcases deep shadows, dark wood walls, and stone finishes indicative of Washington’s natural hallmarks, which come together to draw your eyes to the elevator wall at the back of the space. Throughout are niches and subtle cabinetry that play host to storage for the concierge, coat closets, and the retractable bank grilles.

The Confluence of Compositions

Originally made up of four separate, closed-off areas—a bank branch, lobby, hallway, and retail shop—WaFd was redesigned to become one unified space. The experience offers an optimized traffic flow, allowing patrons to circulate naturally from the banking space into a new adjoining Starbucks. The internationally revered coffee brand, who struck up a rare collaboration with our designers, wove the bold themes of WaFd’s contemporary interiors into their retail motifs, extending to a tucked-away conference room space available to WaFd and their clients. These elements come together with commissioned local artwork, fixtures, and furnishings to seamlessly blend the juxtaposition of urban community and natural landscape.

With a refocus from simply a bank branch to a complex, design-forward program with multiple traffic patterns, vignette spaces, and memorable moments, the result is a modern, transparent, and welcoming experience that resides at the delicate intersection of gracious hospitality and progressive banking.

IRL

MG2 / The Lionesque Group partnered with GGP to create a place where digitally native brands could test physical retail in a complete turnkey solution. Technologically driven, the project included RFID “Wishlist” key with analytic tracking and enabled the education of customers about their brand story and unique product offerings.

The team fully developed the program and space from the ground up, including creating all branded aspects of the store, curating brands, developing a monthly membership program, design and production of the space, operational management, and ongoing marketing & in-store event strategies.

Offering an experience that garnered 4,156 shares and over 11M impressions, a total of 15 e-commerce brands were showcased in the first chapter of IRL, with 80% viable for long-term tenancy. The innovative concept drew attention from local and national media including articles in Chicago Tribune, Glossy, WWD, Design:Retail, among others.

  • Project Details

  • Location Chicago, IL
  • Client GGP Inc.
  • Market Sectors
  • Size 4,500 SF
  • Services
  • Certifications Design Retail Store of the Year 2018, Glossy 2018 Best New Concept Store Finalist

Citizenry

The Citizenry Bunkhouse is filled with handcrafted home goods from their various collections aimed at celebrating countries around the world. Located on Bleecker Street in the West Village, the pop-up gives customers the chance to shop the curated collection in person and meet the team.  The objectives were to grow overall brand awareness, learn about customers, and test the viability of a permanent retail store in NYC.

MG2 / The Lionesque Group worked in partnership with The Citizenry team to evaluate and concept the optimal flow and overall store layout. Deliverables included: inspiration for key in-store moments such as the Pampas window story, fireplace moment and patio scene, as well as budget assessment sourcing and oversight for store build-out production. 

After a successful 22 day pop-up with strong foot traffic, sales and growth in brand awareness in the New York market, The Citizenry extended their stay in the West Village. Over the duration of the pop-up, they garnered media coverage from major outlets including Architectural Digest and House Beautiful.

The RealReal

As a way to test the brick-and-mortar retail environment, The RealReal hired MG2 / The Lionesque Group as their pop-up design and strategy partner to launch a two-week holiday store in Soho, NYC. The objectives were to increase brand awareness, generate sales and test the viability of a permanent brick-and-mortar retail store.

The team provided location and design consultation for optimal layout in a retail environment and customer flow within the pop-up space. The deliverables included securing a location that best allowed TheRealReal to interact with their target demographic, sourcing of store fixtures, operational elements and back of house, and budget and production oversight from build-out to break-down.

After two successful weeks, with over 1,000 visitors
on a daily basis, The RealReal a year later opened up
a permanent location in Soho. Over the duration of
the pop-up, they garnered media coverage from
major outlets including BBC Radio, RackedNY,
HarperBazaar, Hollywood Reporter and more. 

  • Project Details

  • Location Multiple Locations, United States
  • Client The RealReal
  • Market Sectors
  • Size New York: 4,600 SF FOH + 2,500 SF BOH
    San Francisco: 4,500 SF FOH + 1,500 SF BOH
    Las Vegas: 4,500 SF
  • Services

Madison Reed

To help the brand build a solid, successful foundation for its long-term brick-and-mortar strategy, Madison Reed partnered with MG2 / The Lionesque Group to launch its first pop-up store in New York City.

With a six-month lease, the goals of the project were multi-faceted and included everything from introducing the Madison Reed brand to NYC and building awareness, to testing the viability of brick-and-mortar in order to acquire new customers and increase revenues of both one-time purchases and subscriptions. 

As a full-service partner, The Lionesque Group team provided a complete turn-key experience. Beginning by securing a retail space in Flatiron—a neighborhood with a high density of the brand’s target demographic—the team worked together with Madison Reed to conceptualize, design, source, budget, and bring to life the aesthetic and store flow for the first-ever Color Bar in just five weeks time.

Following a wildly successful launch—during which bookings increased daily—Madison Reed went on to open up a permanent location in Flatiron, with the design/build assistance of MG2 / The Lionesque Group, just a few months later, in addition to being named “Best in Beauty 2017” by NY Magazine.

Purple

With the objective of growing brand awareness and driving sales, Purple sought to tell an authentic, immersive direct-to-consumer story through a showroom and a series of pop-up experiences across the United States. Engaging MG2 / The Lionesque Group as their full-service partner, the D2C brand took a turn-key approach toward driving sales and educating potential customers. 

The design team visualized, crafted, ideated, and executed an innovative physical retail strategy, as well as sourced and managed the production of popup spaces across multiple cities. This multi-faceted program has empowered the brand to evolve and expand the program in the future, broadening its reach and allowing more customers to experience their Purple Grid technology first-hand.

Periodic: A Popup Shop

A turnkey pop-up solution for innovative brands.

In today’s retail landscape, many companies find themselves hoping to test the waters of a brick-and-mortar investment before committing to a longer lease. Periodic—designed and implemented by MG2 / The Lionesque Group—is an award-winning, turn-key space located in the South Lake Union district of Seattle created for brands to activate pop-up experiences in a seamless way.

With the unique challenge of creating a full-service platform that offered both a B2B and B2C presence, the team worked with close attention to detail on everything from the Periodic name, font, and logo, to the modularity and functionality of design fixtures, to curating onboarding and offboarding programming offered to each business that inhabits their space.

From two weeks to two months at a time, Periodic gives brands an opportunity to have a presence in a fast-growing, highly trafficked neighborhood. The platform is designed to set them up for success, taking the jurisdictional weight off their shoulders and allowing them to test for viability, grow brand awareness, or trial a target demographic in a short amount of time with an efficient investment approach.

Along with a fixturing package designed to flex and modulate to accommodate individual merchandising and storytelling needs, each curated brand has access to a local marketing company and a best practices playbook. The space itself—a glass building on a corner lot—acts as a billboard, creating a truly unique, hyper-accessible, out-of-the-box pop-up solution that both brands and the community are already benefitting from.

For its unique consumer experiences and experimental turnkey platform that allows for brands of all sizes to test the brick-and-mortar waters in downtown Seattle, Periodic: A Popup Shop was honored as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Retail Designs of 2021.

Press Coverage

Capitol Hill Food Hall

A true taste of Seattle

For travelers making their way through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the corner-bound intermission in the center of Terminal A was, at best, unmemorable. Anchored with an aging bookstore and some sparse seating, the only true draw to the area was the sweeping view of the tarmac through its bank of windows. 

Partnering with MG2, SSP America transformed this nondescript section of the airport into the Capitol Hill Food Hall: a destination that passengers would remember and revisit for flights to come.

A remarkable one-stop terminus designed to embody the experience and authenticity of the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Capitol Hill Food Hall allows travelers to savor a true taste of what Seattle’s culinary scene has to offer without ever leaving the airport.

It offers a thoughtfully unique experience, bringing together a curated selection of popular vendors and reimagining and translating their curbside appeal within a terminal-bound venue. While other airports glean digitally-driven dining experiences whose technology integrations age poorly, Capitol Hill Food Hall relies on a more handmade, analog consistency throughout its branding, signage, and finishes, creating its own design language and immersing visitors in a genuine experience as they discover new favorites. 

Bringing Capitol Hill Food Hall to life was not without challenges. This section of the airport was one that had never been used as a food and beverage site before. The complexities of designing and constructing a building-within-a-building and housing numerous individual businesses—each with their own standards and requirements to uphold—created a vast landscape of moving pieces. 

An exceedingly complex program inside of a secured airport terminal, every detail that might otherwise be overarchingly accepted or otherwise overlooked; materials, fixtures, cases, and beyond were scrutinized and deeply reviewed by the Seattle Port Authority in the name of passenger health, safety, and security. Integrated and streamlined coordination was critical to stay on track and on budget in making SSP America’s original a reality. 

Today, the space offers much more than awe-inspiring views; Capitol Hill Food Hall offers food and beverage options from numerous local vendors, ranging from bahn mi and burgers to Seattle’s finest coffee and hoppiest brews. Each option is carefully curated, with each vendor taking their typical streetside branding and tailoring it to their terminal location, seamlessly blending all of the designs to create one encompassing language. Two unique areas are dedicated to live music, a scene that Seattle is known for the world over. In the spaces between, the experience is dotted with ample seating and outlets, encouraging weary travelers to sit back, relax, and experience the real Seattle without ever leaving the airport. 

Vans Downtown LA

A heritage to call home

After 54 years of calling Southern California home, classic skateboard and surf icon Vans embarked on a journey to create their first community-driven retail and event space in Downtown Los Angeles. A longtime partner in Irvine, CA, and now primary firm in North America, MG2 worked closely with the Vans team on designing their newest and largest flagship, creating an elevated hybrid experience environment that goes above and beyond, signifying a new era for the brand.

Occupying three floors of the historic Singer Building, House of Vans needed to be meticulously designed with optimized vertical navigation and overlapping pathways to ensure a seamless customer experience. Also essential was the implementation of unique, above-and-beyond elements, such as a kitchen and mobile bar, that would require navigating the complexities of local permits and compliances to include in their hybrid retail space.

With the programming rotating daily between concerts, workshops, exhibitions, and more, the space required the ability to evolve for every function.

“Our Downtown LA store opening signifies a new Vans chapter as we continue our mission and commitment to being community and experience focused.”

Carly Gomez, VP of Marketing Americas, Vans

After working together for years, MG2 acted as the primary architecture partner for House of Vans DTLA: their largest and most ambitious flagship to date at 11,500 sq/ft. This intimate knowledge of and partnership with their brand allowed for seamless transparency, trust, and collaboration throughout the duration of the project.

The team acted as a sounding board, facilitator, and champion for structure functionality, materials, costs, and branding efforts throughout the space’s design. With the advantage of being local to the area, MG2 was deeply familiar with and able to traverse the intricacies of city permit and compliance logistics.

Holding true to their dedication to sustainability, and in direct reflection of Vans’ brand values, we utilized as many raw materials, elements of the original historic building, and sustainable energy fixtures throughout the space as possible.

Adorned in plywood, concrete, chain link, local art, and Van’s signature black and white checkerboard, the new environment holistically reflects their SoCal heritage and attitude, while allowing them space to broaden their demographic beyond skating and surfing and appeal to the next generation of consumers.

Over the course of the project, the team observed first-hand the excitement and enthusiasm from local government and consumers alike for Vans to revitalize this previously abandoned space and help reinfuse art, music, and culture back into the historic neighborhood.

Currently the largest Vans space in the world—and second largest experimental retail space in the neighborhood—House of Vans DTLA opened to the public in spring of 2020 and features fresh work from local artists, a dedicated community experience studio, and of course, a wide range of exclusive Vans footwear, apparel, and accessories.

Meet Our Team

Scott Owen, Jr.

Principal

A passionate problem-solver and big picture liaison, Scott Owen has spent the past ten years helping mixed-use and large format retail partners such as Petco, Target, and Nordstrom go beyond simple integration of consumer trends. Hand-selecting perfectly calibrated teams for each project, he specializes in unpacking and analyzing difficult challenges, pushing comfort zones, and taking risks, ultimately breathing life into engaging and extraordinary environments.

Scott’s main prerogative as a designer is to preserve each client’s vision while continuously keeping functionality and user experience at the forefront. People-oriented and a persistent advocate for infusing personality into every venture, Scott is continually inspired by the young architects he mentors, gaining just as much wisdom and perspective as he imparts. When he’s not immersed in developing his teams or unraveling complex design problems, you’ll find Scott unwinding through music, be it listening or playing.

Meet Our Team

Janelle Schneider

Principal

Janelle operates at the forefront of client service. She has been leading high-performance teams for over 20 years, delivering state-of-the-art design concepts for leading brands. In her formative years, Janelle managed the interiors and casework teams for Nordstrom Store Design. An expert when it comes to programming, production, finishes, and fixtures, Janelle helps her teams translate spoken and unspoken consumer needs into cost-saving outcomes. Her passion for interiors only rivals her love for perfecting details. A natural connector, Janelle knows how to mobilize an effective team process that yields memorable experiences, authentic engagement, and consumer capture.

SSP America

Now Arriving: New Food Concepts at West Coast International Airports

Once a place for generic restaurants serving mediocre food, airports have come to realize investing in an array of quality F&B options can yield higher customer satisfaction and subsequent profits. As a result, multi-million-dollar renovation plans for the Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland international airports call for a number of new dining amenities.

Deschutes Brewery at PDX

After the government agencies that own and operate the airports announced redevelopment programs in 2017, MG2 worked with SSP America to develop a series of restaurant concepts to submit for leases. Concepts for multiple high-performing national brands and popular local brands were awarded contracts, as were one-of-kind brands crafted by MG2 exclusively for each airport. Six of the restaurants selected for the Seattle airport will be featured together as part of a food hall environment also designed by MG2.

LAX Photography: LAX Shop Dine

The work was developed and completed alongside SSP America and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Airports (URW Airports), the in-terminal commercial developer and manager of LAX Terminal 1.

Press Coverage

Vans

Translating an iconic brand across borders

The Vans brand celebrates individuality and the culture of outdoor sports like skating, surfing, snowboarding, and BMX biking. In expanding in Mexico and other markets, VF Corporation needed to translate the Vans store concept into new store designs that reinforce the iconic brand with cultural sensitivity.

MG2 has collaborated with Vans to implement consistent architectural design and planning programs for more than 30 stores across North America.

In each location, the design concept is effectively tailored and efficiently implemented through MG2’s knowledge of cultural trends and the nuances of local developmental processes.

Moncler

Transcending high standards for a luxury icon

Moncler sets the standard for luxury outdoor sportswear with a clientele that expects nothing but the best. With store locations around the world, Moncler was looking for a partner to bring the French-Italian lifestyle brand to life in new boutiques at The Shops at the Bravern in Bellevue, WA and the Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas.

MG2’s expertise in specialty and luxury retail as well as retail center design created an effective bridge between Moncler and the retail center developers to achieve the objectives of everyone involved.

That process involved working on-site with Moncler’s installation teams to ensure unique materials, such as stonework from Italy and chêne fumé French wood paneling, were incorporated effectively. As a result of MG2’s work, the Las Vegas and Bellevue boutiques successfully uphold Moncler’s brand standards and the high expectations of the Moncler customer.

jcoco

A tastefully designed shop for all seasons

Seattle Chocolate’s jcoco line brings together high-quality chocolate infused with global flavors with a high-fashion image and a strong commitment to community. MG2’s Peter Stocker worked closely with jcoco in the line’s early stages to develop its unique brand concept and packaging. Informed by this insight, Stocker and the MG2 team successfully brought the jcoco brand to life in their first standalone location.

MG2 designed the location to reflect the flexibility and interactivity of a pop-up shop, but with the high-end details of a permanent brick-and-mortar that is befitting of the stylish jcoco brand. MG2 designed the shop to undergo a series of three complete transformations during its seven-month run, with each design concept, in-store events, and merchandising drawing inspiration from a seasonally featured chocolate.

The jcoco pop-up is a clear representation of the impact of end-to-end brand storytelling and the type of immersive, interactive experience that can only happen in a brick-and-mortar store.

HomeStreet Bank

Banking on a more personal future

In the wake of the global financial crisis and widespread recession, HomeStreet Bank responded to the needs of its clients to expand the range of consumer services beyond lending. In order to accomplish that feat, HomeStreet Bank instituted a more personal brand philosophy focused on direct engagement and building trust with the consumer.

By understanding the personal nature of banking and HomeStreet Bank’s expansion aspirations, MG2 was able to reflect this heightened consumer engagement through architectural design. The process began with the design of a single lending center and then grew to include the design of a series of branches as HomeStreet Bank expands along the West Coast of the United States.

MG2 has designed a consumer-centric banking environment with modern, inviting exteriors that emphasize HomeStreet Bank’s community commitment in the way the branches blend with the local architecture. Taken together, these elements embody HomeStreet Bank’s refreshed brand.

First Tech Federal Credit Union

Creating the financial center of the future

First Tech Federal Credit Union’s dedication to serving its members comes through in everything from branch location to the design of those spaces. In developing its 40th branch, First Tech wanted to create an experience that fully aligned with the lifestyles and needs of their technology-oriented members. This required a more welcoming, relaxed, and contemporary atmosphere than traditional banking settings provide.

MG2 created a branch environment that places personal connections at the forefront. The typical row of bank tellers and cluster of account management desks were replaced with an open “relationship center” surrounded by member suites, offices, and a large meeting room to provide options for every type of financial discussion. The flexible layout, energetic color scheme, and incorporation of mobile technologies mirror First Tech members’ life and work styles, helping to integrate the experience seamlessly with their everyday lives.

Compared to more traditional First Tech locations, the new branch concept has led to enhanced member satisfaction and opportunities to provide more products and services to members.

Based on positive results and member feedback, First Tech has introduced several other locations based on this model and continues to see the concept resonate with members and employees.

  • Project Details

  • Location Multiple locations, U.S.
  • Client First Tech Federal Credit Union
  • Market Sectors ,
  • Size Approximately 3,000 SF
  • Services

Anthony’s Restaurants

Serving up a relaxed maritime atmosphere with waterfront views

For nearly two decades, MG2 has designed Anthony’s Restaurants, a family of locally owned restaurants in Washington. Dedicated to providing guests with a luxury dining experience, Anthony’s has earned the reputation for serving the finest in Pacific Northwest seafood. To complement the acclaimed cuisine, the majority of restaurants are built along rivers, lakes and the ocean. Oversized windows offer wide-sweeping views of these glistening bodies of water and create airy, light-filled dining environments.

As guests are led to their table by a host or hostess, they’re able to glimpse inside an open kitchen where chefs are expertly preparing fresh catches of the day. If they shift their gaze upward, they’ll notice exposed wood beams running across vaulted ceilings, an architectural detail intended to mimic the interior of a sailing ship’s hull.

MG2 recently helped Anthony’s introduce a new F&B concept, known as The Cabana. Located adjacent to the Anthony’s in Anacortes, The Cabana offers a more casual sit-down dining experience, as well as a classic fish and chips “to-go” bar and two sand bocce ball courts.

Corporate Campus Food Pods

A shipping container BBQ concept spices up employees’ work week

MG2 was tasked with transforming an underutilized outdoor common area into a food venue capable of serving hundreds of corporate campus employees daily. Designing the layout of the “kitchen container” and the placement of equipment within the space required working closely with the food service operator to understand the step-by-step preparation process for each menu item. With a limited footprint (20′ x 8′), the design team had to think linear. Everything needed to be streamlined and purpose-built.

Patrons are served their meal out of a carry-out window. From there, they can choose to either dine alfresco at a nearby patio table or step inside the “dining room” container, which features butcher block-style tables, plaid upholstered benches, neon blue wire chairs and Edison light bulbs dangling from upside-down refinished stock tanks.

Both shipping containers are adorned with custom graphics and signage designed by MG2’s brand development team.

UNIQLO

A tailored approach to expressing a unique brand

UNIQLO is the fourth-largest apparel retailer in the world with a growing network of more than 1,400 stores offering high-quality, casual apparel. As UNIQLO continues to expand, they work to integrate the cultural characteristics of each market into their retail stores while staying true to the brand’s core design.

When entering new markets, UNIQLO has strategically raised brand awareness by utilizing pop-up or temporary store locations. MG2 partnered with UNIQLO’s US and Japan teams on a series of such pop-ups as well as in-line mall stores and a flagship store. One particularly unique pop-up was located in Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace and will be followed by a nearby flagship store reflecting a striking blend of UNIQLO’s modern aesthetic and the heritage of the nearly 200-year-old Quincy Marketplace building.

In each store location, MG2 interpreted the key UNIQLO brand and design values to fit the distinctive features of the market. UNIQLO’s signature design elements — from a precise approach to symmetry to a focus on strong visual impact upon entry — ensure that every store stays true to the UNIQLO brand while attracting a new set of loyal customers.

  • Project Details

  • Location Multiple locations, U.S.
  • Client Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.
  • Market Sectors
  • Size 2,500 - 15,000 SF
  • Services

Deschutes Brewery Public House

Nestled in Concourse D of the Portland International Airport (PDX), the Deschutes Brewery Public House provides a “taste of place” experience for travelers. One of two PDX brewery collaborations between MG2 and SSP America (the other being Hopworks Urban Brewery), Deschutes Brewery Public House is designed to provide a warm, inviting feel of an open-air restaurant while inside the airport. The interior pays homage to Deschutes’ history with custom artwork that demonstrates the brewing process, wall wraps made from used barrel staves, and a digital fireplace bookended with firewood and gallery walls showcasing photos from the brewery’s 30-year history.

  • Project Details

  • Location Portland International Airport (PDX), Portland, OR
  • Client SSP America
  • Market Sectors
  • Services