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      Bala's SoHo store by Ringo Studio features oversized fitness equipment

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      Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio has created a pastel “playground” as the first retail space for fitness brand Bala in New York City, which includes scaled-up versions of its products.

      Founded by Natalie Holloway and Max Kislevitz, who appeared on reality TV show Shark Tank, Bala sells weights, bands and other fitness equipment in a range of candy colours.
      Bala’s New York City store includes giant versions of the brand’s fitness productsRingo Studio founder Madelynn Ringo, the former retail designer for cosmetics brand Glossier, cold-called the duo and asked them to keep her in mind when they opened their first physical retail space.
      So when the opportunity arose to take over a 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metre) space at 99 Spring Street in SoHo, Ringo was brought on to translate the brand’s aesthetic into interior design.
      A weighted ankle Bangle becomes a leather seat for customersThe products are typified by soft, rounded shapes, so these were replicated in features around the store.

      “The space invites visitors to work out amid scaled-up versions of Bala’s visually compelling products,” Ringo said. “These sculptural elements create nooks for testing, touching, and trying out in-person.”
      The entrance is via a black hoop that resembles Bala’s Power RingThe entrance to the store is under a black arch that resembles one of the brand’s signature products: The Power Ring.
      Beyond, a pale green counter displays a variety of weights in the same hue as its curved top. Further areas are also colour-matched with the items on show.
      Products are colour-coordinated with their display areas”Organised chromatically, distinct zones immerse visitors in the colour space of the band, heightening the sense of place and identification with the brand,” Ringo said.
      A giant 12-foot-tall version of the Bala Beam is propped up against a mirrored wall that is divided by vertical light strips.
      Mirrored walls allow customers to test out the products as if they were in a gymOn the opposite side, an oversized replica of a Bangle – used as ankle weight – swoops down from the ceiling to form a squishy leather seat.
      Through a pale blue arch is another space decorated entirely in pink, from the walls, ceiling and counter, to velvet fitting-room curtains and a furry carpet.

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      The space was fabricated by New York-based Konduit, which specialises in scenic design, curved surfaces and custom finishes.
      The team worked with Ringo Studio to match the distinct matte sheen and exact colours of the Bala products across the scaled-up design elements.
      At the back is an entirely pink room, hosting more products and fitting roomsOutside of retail hours, the store is also intended to host fitness programs that incorporate the various products.
      “It’s a Balacise playground to introduce customers to their innovative products and encourage them to test and experiment,” Ringo said.
      The back room is lined with a furry pink carpetPastels have been a popular choice of palette for stores and boutiques over the past few years, particularly in New York City.
      Brands like Everlane, The Arrivals, and of course, Glossier, all chose similarly soft shades for their shop interiors in the city.
      The photography is by Anna Morgowicz.

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      Meta to open first physical retail shop for virtual reality products

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      Social media brand Meta, formerly the Facebook Company, is opening its first permanent Meta Store for customers to purchase its virtual reality products as a “gateway to the metaverse”.

      The 1,550-square-foot shop will open on 9 May in Burlingame, California, near the company’s Reality Labs campus – a research and development hub for virtual reality products.
      Meta Store is the social media company’s first physical storeHead of Meta Store Martin Gilliard said that the shop will demonstrate how the brand’s products are a “gateway” to the metaverse” – a parallel virtual world where people operate as avatars.
      “The Meta Store is going to help people make that connection to how our products can be the gateway to the metaverse in the future,” he said.
      It is located in California close to the company’s Reality Labs campusIn the shop, which will be open Monday to Friday, customers will be able to try out and play games on Oculus Quest 2, an updated version of the virtual reality headset Oculus Go, in a dedicated demo area.

      A large, floor-to-ceiling LED screen will project what is being seen in the headset.
      Meta’s video-calling device Portal will be displayed on backlit wooden shelves on the main shop floor. Customers will be able to try out Portal in another demo area, as well as place video calls to retail associates to see the gadget in action.
      Customers will be able to try virtual reality productsA separate cubicle with glass walls is reserved for Meta’s selection of Ray-Ban Stories, smart glasses that allow wearers to record videos via in-built 5MP cameras. Visitors will be able to try a range of style, colour and lens variations.
      Unlike the other products in Meta Store, the glasses will not be available to purchase in-store. Customers will have to order them directly from sunglass retailer Ray Ban’s website.

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      Other accessories such as headphones, earphones and charging cables will also be on show and available to purchase in the store.
      “We’re not selling the metaverse in our store, but hopefully people will come in and walk out knowing a little bit more about how our products will help connect them to it,” explained Gilliard.
      “Once people experience the technology, they can gain a better appreciation for it.”
      The store will house virtual reality headsets, smart glasses and Meta’s video calling deviceMeta’s first physical store represents the company’s move further into what it calls a “social metaverse company” and away from its origins as a social media company. Last year the brand changed its name from Facebook to Meta.
      Gilliard also said that the Burlingame store marks Meta’s expansion further into the retail sphere.
      “Having the store here in Burlingame gives us more opportunity to experiment and keep the customer experience core to our development,” said Gilliard. “What we learn here will help define our future retail strategy.”
      The minimalist store displays products on wooden shelvingA number of brands are working on real-life and metaverse cross-over products, such as shoe brand Giuseppe Zanotti, which has released a digital edition of its Cobras trainers in the metaverse.
      Design studio Layer recently unveiled a pair of smart glasses for tech company Viture that lets the user play games or stream media via a virtual screen.
      Photos are courtesy of Meta.

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      Superette models playful cannabis dispensary on Italian deli

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      Green and beige checkerboard flooring, deli props and tomato red hues feature in this marijuana dispensary in Toronto, designed by Superette’s in-house design team.

      Named The Annex after its location within the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, the latest marijuana store by Superette is a 500-square-foot cannabis dispensary-cum-hangout space for local young adults.
      The exterior of The Annex cannabis dispensary has green and beige striped awningsIt sits a few blocks away from two college campuses, the University of Toronto’s St. George campus and George Brown College’s Casa Loma campus.
      For the new space, the company turned to the “convivial spirit” of the college canteen for inspiration, aiming to appeal to the student demographic walking through its doors.

      The same retro colour and pattern theme is continued inside”Taking design cues from the convivial spirit of the college canteen, The Annex offers a one of a kind experience where students aged 19 and above can conveniently purchase and consume cannabis, as well as work and socialize,” said the brand.
      “This highly nostalgic and immersive space is rooted in one of our favourite communities.”
      Marijuana paraphernalia and cool drinks are displayed on lime green shelvesFull of entertaining colours and quirky objects, The Annex’s floors are covered in green and white square tiles which match the awnings on the store’s exterior.
      Marijuana products are displayed on lime green walls and shelves while contrasting splashes of tomato red was used for the stools and hanging pendant lights.
      The designers drew on the nostalgic interiors of a classic Italian deliSuperette is French for mini supermarket and all of the brand’s shops take cues from retro-themed eateries like old school diners and bodegas.
      The Annex takes cues from an Italian deli.

      Superette cannabis dispensary in Toronto resembles a retro grocery store

      A deli counter at the back of the store contains an array of pre-rolled joints and different strains and strengths of cannabis, while stools designed to recall a canteen are positioned next to the windows.
      “All of our shops pay homage to similarly familiar and nostalgic retail environments from diners, bodegas, to flower shops, and subway newsstands,” said the brand.
      They hope that the jovial design attracts local studentsAlongside pre-rolled marijuana joints and cannabis, customers can purchase cannabis paraphernalia including bongs, ashtrays and lighters. They can also peruse a selection of other homeware items such as candles and mugs.
      A slew of dispensaries have cropped up in the city of Toronto following the legalisation of marijuana in Canada.
      Among these is a minimal store by architecture studio StudioAC that has sheets of industrial grating over the product displays and a dispensary with mirrored ceilings by Toronto-based designer Paolo Ferrari.
      The photography is courtesy of Superette.

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      Forte Forte's first US store features golden changing rooms and balancing stones

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      Light fixtures inspired by James Turrell artworks, balancing stones, and a circular golden changing room feature in the interiors of fashion brand Forte Forte’s Los Angeles boutique.

      The Italian label’s art director Robert Vattilana designed the interiors of the store, which is located at 8424 Melrose Place in Los Angeles – the first Forte Forte branch in the US.
      Vattilana called the design “an ineffable balance of the geometric and the organic”.
      The store features a sage green enamelled metal facadeTwo rectilinear shop windows are framed by a sage-green enamelled metal facade with the boutique’s glowing logo. The recessed front door is crafted from enamelled wood.
      Inside, a bright white ceiling is lit at the edges casting light on the textured walls, which create a neutral backdrop for Vattilana’s minimal but eclectic designs.

      A mixture of pastel and brighter tones define the space”The Los Angeles boutique is meant as a concise and vibrant project where light becomes matter, in an ineffable balance of the geometric and the organic,” the interior designer told Dezeen.
      Both pastel hues and brighter pops of colour are seen in the store’s furniture, which ranges from chunky terrazzo planters and gold shelving to a powdery pink chaise longue.
      The changing rooms were placed in a rounded gold boothThe amount of garments on display is minimal, with single dresses suspended delicately from various squiggly formations of gold wire.
      Changing rooms exist within a rounded, bright gold pod that is separated into cubicles. These feature a mixture of plush sea-green textiles and an array of mirrors.

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      Another standout element is two giant stones placed in front of ethereal, full-height muslin curtains, one of which balances on top of the other in a dramatic formation.
      “The stones are from the Palm Springs desert and are meant as a tribute to the work of [former Swiss art duo] Peter Fischli and David Weiss,” explained Vattilana.
      Two giant stones add drama to the boutiqueBack-lit, circular openings throw light on the boutique, which, according to the designer, also take cues from an existing artist.
      “Perimeters and ceilings create movement and an iridescent light emerges from the total depth of the shop, referring to the luminous geometries of [light artist] James Turrell,” he continued.
      The lighting was informed by the work of James TurrellVattilana described the brand’s Los Angeles store as a space that “echoes the volumes and lines of Californian modernism,” as it follows a group of uniquely designed Forte Forte stores in locations such as Milan and London.
      “The contrast with Italian materials and finishes enriches the balance of components with further nuances, sealing the uniqueness of the project.”
      “Each Forte Forte location follows a different rhythm,” he concluded.
      Giada Forte and her brother Paolo Forte founded the Italian fashion brand in 2002. Its other store designs include a Tuscan boutique with a hull-style ceiling and a Rome store “drowned” in green onyx.
      The images are courtesy of Forte Forte.

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