The Wills Group’s Dash In convenience stores are driven by a commitment to seeing customers as neighbors and treating them as welcome guests.
The chains new “Village” locations are some of its biggest stores, with a footprint ranging from 2,800 to 5,600 square feet. The venues provide an open, welcoming feel and an intuitive browsing experience. In the Village concept, Dash In has set aside the traditional aisle arrangement of merchandise in favor of a more inviting segmentation by pods, or “villages,” that cluster items within the store.
In this warm setting, Dash In takes its guests’ experience up a notch with food choices and presentations they wouldn’t expect to see in a convenience-store setting.
The homey atmosphere extends into the restrooms, where airport-style facilities feature granite double vanities and touch-free controls for faucets and hand dryers. The result is a clean, open and modern environment that eliminates the stigma of c-store restrooms.
What the Experts Say
Some people still look at branding as just a logo, but that is only the start. Dash in brings its brand to life with consistency and a sense of humor. The use of wood tones in the flooring, cabinets, soffits and cloud accents works. In each case the screened images and adjacent materials soften the look. Subway tiles and subtle blues are a nice touch. One of the best parts of the Dash In look is the way the chain went against the norm with wood shelving to bring a classy point of differentiation between it and competitors. —Mike Lawshe, president and CEO, Paragon Solutions