New York-based The Goods Mart’s founder and CEO Rachel Krupa rotates merchandise regularly. “There’s a lot of playing with positioning,” she says.
Urban markets with tight quarters can use library ladders to stock products with more height, says Michael Lawshe, founder and CEO of Paragon Solutions, Tempe, Arizona. “You’ve got only so much space, and it’s not like you can add on,” he says.
Lighting also can make a small space look larger and help to deter theft, Lawshe says. A shadowy, dark space looks small and feels uncomfortable, he says.
While many urban stores are landlocked between existing buildings, others have parking lots and space for a drive-thru lane. To compete with online merchants, urban markets can expand beyond their four walls by offering curbside pickup or local delivery. “You’ve got to roll with the tides and the way that customer wants to be served, whether it’s in person or at a walk-up window,” Lawshe says.
Housed inside two office buildings, The Goods Mart’s smallest stores are less than 300 square feet. Krupa likens product arranging on the shelves to playing the blocks video game Tetris. She typically places new products at eye level to give them the best chance, then moves them down as they become more familiar to regular shoppers. “It allows you to make sure each one has their role and they do well,” she says.