A Bucket of Wings, Please

Boeing Aircraft (Renton, Wash.) has been rolling out a chain of 15 retail locations in seven states — nine of which are open to the public — offering from 800 to 1000 different items.

Brand names include Swiss Army, Dufeau and K'NEX. For collectors, the Boeing Store offers more than 50 aircraft models, ranging from snap-together kits to handcrafted executive-quality models. New merchandise is rotated into inventory seasonally.

Now, the aircraft giant is taking steps to improve the stores themselves.

Mikal Wasch, senior manager of Boeing Stores Inc., said there's a large move across the company to stabilize the Boeing Stores' business performance, improve customer satisfaction and provide an experience in keeping with the Boeing name and reputation.

“Last year we made great strides in enhancing our business practices and operations including staff, equipment and approach,” Wasch said. “These improvements in Puget Sound will be even more apparent to the average shopper.”

The goal is to offer improved traffic flow and more efficient checkout, while evoking the romance of flight. The Boeing Store in the main lobby of the Longacres Flight Center building in Renton, Wash., for example, received new fixtures and decor during its recent expansion and remodeling. And in the Everett, Wash., building, a new kiosk will be installed next to a branch of the Boeing Employees Credit Union.

The store near the Boeing factory facility in Renton, Wash., is undergoing the biggest change. The east side of the building will have a covered public street entrance and coffee cart.

“The Renton location is definitely a different approach for us in this area, and it's exciting,” Wasch said. “We have an opportunity to directly offer Boeing Stores to the public.”

Boeing maintains a high degree of control over the merchandising program. Many of the products are custom-designed and not available anywhere else. Hiring regional sales managers with experience in retail sales merchandising, design, marketing and general business operations, and adding expertise in allocations, bank reconciliation and traveling stores operations, already has brought positive results, Wasch said. But although providing a good value is important, it's only part of the stores' appeal.

“Employees, aviation enthusiasts and kids visit our stores because they are intrigued by the Boeing brand and want to own a piece of an aerospace legend,” Wasch said.