Healthcare - Creative Business Interiors

Aurora Healthcare St. Luke's South Shore Hospital Gift ShopCudahy, WI

The Gift Shop at the Aurora Health Care, St. Luke’s South Shore Hospital required immediate attention once plans were drawn up to renovate the adjacent Lobby (a project also performed by Creative). Two challenges presented themselves: the Gift Shop’s already constricted space would be reduced from 575 to 500 square feet, and the entrance would have to be relocated to a less prominent location.

Some key requirements of this project included: maximizing the gift shop’s reduced space through the use of flexible display fixtures; creating efficient storage within the smaller area; creating a cohesive design within and in conjunction with the new lobby; and reducing store theft through improved sightlines.

Creative produced a design solution that not only satisfied all project criteria and provided integration with the new look of the Lobby, it improved both the function and the aesthetics of this high-traffic, high-visibility area of the hospital.

One key improvement was the new placement of the cash wrap desk, now centrally located to afford gift shop employees a clear view of the entire store. The cash wrap was also customized to accommodate employee’s needs by providing ample storage for gift wrap, merchandise bags, tissue paper, merchandizing equipment, and a helium balloon tank. And, because jewelry is a big seller and therefore integral, a custom jewelry display case was incorporated into the cash wrap.

To integrate the look and feel of the surrounding area, architectural finishes used in the new Lobby were carried into the Gift Shop. The organic undertones and neutral color palettes also serve to enhance the display of products – a key element in any store.

To highlight the displays even further, Creative introduced several tailor-made features. Custom millwork cabinets were designed with integral storage drawers and shelving for lighted merchandise. An attractive, collapsible A-frame display unit was positioned at the shop’s entrance. An innovative greeting card display case was built to wrap a previously unsightly column. This hinged display also conceals storage of the greeting card inventory behind it. As a way to entice shoppers to turn the corner to the new entrance, adjustable glass display shelves were placed in the new window where the previous gift shop entrance was located.

With this newly renovated Gift Shop, caregivers, patients and family members now have a more functional and appealing public space. The client is very pleased with the new shop and how it effectively utilizes more display areas and storage in a smaller footprint than the previous layout. Importantly, the client believes that traffic to the new Gift Shop has significantly increased since the renovation.