Social Market
Second chances.
Almost 50% of French people have already purchased second-hand goods, and this really is just the beginning. A new solidarity concept called "Social Market" is ready to open its doors at the Shopping Promenade Coeur Alsace.
More than a passing fad, people today want their purchases to have meaning, and are increasingly changing the way they consume by turning to sustainable and local solutions. The trend is clearly here to stay, and responsible real estate company Frey has decided to get on board, with our support, by imagining the Social Market, together.
Industries
- Specialised Retail.
Skills
- Strategy,
- Brand Design,
- Retail Design.
Challenge
The goal was to create and manage a community of second-hand players, by making recycling and reuse more accessible, and second-hand shopping more widespread. The plan was to incorporate this concept into the Shopping Promenade experience as a whole, and make it an inspiring destination both for its customers and for key players on the market.
Solution
A place for shopping and services focused on giving products a second life, in partnership with local retailers and charitable groups. Our role was to help Frey with its positioning and the identity of this new brand, which we wanted to be joyful and positive. Social Market brings its commitments to life in a space devoted to players in the second-hand market, and contributes to social integration through employment. To do this, we created a warm and welcoming place that is open to all, a place where good deals meet a good cause.
The concept: a second chance for products and people alike!
Social Market is an innovative social endeavour dedicated to residents and customers, and benefiting all parties in the local social and economic scene.
Our aim was to make Social Market an open and happy place, where everyone feels at home.
Reintegration, Re-employment and Recycling… Through this project, we champion the idea that everyone has the right to a second chance and that every product has the right to a second life too. All the people behind this project are part of a strong community and are passionate about the message they convey.
We have therefore given the brand and location a tone of voice that combines generosity, enthusiasm and above all positivity.
Inside you'll find an extensive range of second-hand products, thanks to several local companies that immediately saw the potential of the Social Market, including Carijou (toys), Vetis (clothing), Gentlemen Designers (furniture) and Little Tokyo (manga and gaming). As well as services focused on a sustainable approach such as clothing alterations with an on-site seamstress service.
Architectural choices that reflect its values.
We decided, for this concept, that there was no room for anything superfluous, so we stripped things back to basics to align with the strategy in place. It's a commitment we've adhered to even in our architectural approach. The majority of the design features, such as furniture, décor and displays are reused, recycled or upcycled. And for the joinery, we opted to employ local people involved in social reintegration.
Outside the store, the luminous SOCIAL MARKET letters draw the visitor in, echoing block-style printers' letters in a distinctive vintage style. The inside makes quite an impression, with scaffolding made of recycled tubes bearing the Social Market logo exploding across brightly coloured tarpaulins. Then, a large fresco dresses the wall, giving a not-so-subtle hint that our customers are the true heroes of our future world.
It's a vintage, industrial and upcycled interior pushed to the absolute max, all contained in a stripped-back shell painted in candy pink, bringing everything together to showcase a multitude of brands.
Solidarity… and community!
Beyond the local approach in its choice of partners, Social Market also works in synergy with the social club of the Shopping Promenade. It becomes a community space, a place for meeting and sharing.
The community side of things even radiates beyond the store, with appeals for donations at the textile recycling and donation points in store as well as in the car park.
And it hasn't taken long to see the results - Social Market is something of a destination in itself, and when it opened, it immediately became one of the most visited retailers at the Shopping Promenade Coeur Alsace.
