Transforming a Retail Space Into the Ultimate Experience

This article originally appeared at our sister publication, Big Picture.

THINK BACK TO YOUR childhood and chances are, a Radio Flyer Original Little Red Wagon® is rolling around in one of those early memories. Today, 107-year-old Radio Flyer has begun a new chapter with its first flagship retail store, a 15,000-square-foot location that immerses shoppers into the iconic brand. It is nestled within the largest shopping center in Illinois, offering just the right amount of a nostalgic nod to its heritage while injecting fun interactivity for the next generation of Radio Flyer riders.

To help its first retail store live up to its promise of being “The Ultimate Radio Flyer Experience,” ER2 Image Group and its Applied Surfaces division were selected to manufacture and install all environmental graphic assets. The Chicago area-based team achieved the visual appeal to represent the Radio Flyer brand, from wallcoverings to vinyl graphics to SEG frames with acoustic panels for noise reduction.

From the moment customers walk through the door, they can learn about the Radio Flyer story, test ride bikes, and even visit a service center to repair their e-bikes. Hanging above the entire multi-dimensional experience from the ceiling is a series of circular blue “clouds” custom-made from felt, giving each visitor the playful feeling of a perfect summer day. One of the focal points of the store is the wallcovering of a jumbo Radio Flyer red wagon with two massive tires that customers can sit inside. ER2 fashioned these tires in-house to scale from medium-density fiberboard, paint, and acrylics.

“Radio Flyer provided a great deal of trust to ship their prized possessions and artifacts to us so we could figure out how to mount them to the walls best,” says Jason Dillas, Managing Partner of Applied Surfaces.

• The Hot Seat
  One of the focal points of the store is the wallcovering of a jumbo Radio Flyer red wagon with two massive tires that customers can sit inside.
• For the Kids
  The Radio Flyer Race Track is an open space that allows kids to ride any toy they like.
• Incorporating Artifacts
  An abundance of brand artifacts including classic wagons and scooters dating back to 1931 and post-war patriotism in 1946 are accompanied by 1997 and 2000 editions from the modern era.

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