Opening Lids’ first stores in Germany

Having completed over 20 stores for Lids already, with a similar look and feel in each space – as well as standardised elements such as the point-of-sale area and Lids custom zones, the beauty of this retail rollout is that much of the model can be ‘lifted and shifted’ from store to store.

As with most of these deliveries, each of the German outlets required a quick turnaround. Therefore, we produced a high-level plan, which the architects perfected and agreed with the client – three weeks later the stores were complete, and ready for merchandising.

We were also tasked with ensuring fire regulations were upheld, which involved consultations with experts in this field, as well as coordination with the teams installing water and electricity.

While the nature of retail rollouts lends itself to a slicker delivery process – it's very much not a one-size-fits-all solution across the board. Communication with all parties – both among the Agilité and client teams, as well as subcontractors – was central to the on-time, and on-budget deliveries so far.

In Dresden, for example, there was no glass façade when we arrived on site – a crucial component of each Lids store. There is a definite struggle on the market at the moment due to difficulties to obtain metal frames, installation teams etc. Pure luck meant that a team became available when another retailer folded. Meaning we were able to prcure them and get the façade built and installed in the timeframe Lids desired.

In order to upload our sustainability commitments, we try to reuse as much as we can – including the flooring, ceiling, and cabling. What’s more, this approach helps to speed up the delivery process – saving the client time and money.