Bold New Visions, Part III

Retail Renovation Competition: First Place
Conversion – Specialty Store, Sales Area Under 10,000 sq. ft.
Patagonia, Pittsburgh
Submitted by: August Construction Solutions Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
Contributing companies: Great Pacific Ironworks; Epoch Design Group, Inc.

Patagonia (Ventura, Calif.) was challenged with rehabbing a building whose previous tenants had a notably different aesthetic than the retailer’s consistently warm design. The former occupants had “painted every surface of the interior and exterior white,” says Travis Serpa, Director of Retail Operations, Patagonia. The design teams set out to restore the interior to its roots and warm it up with original hardwood floors, as well as deal with old fire damage, a vestige of the building’s long history.

Designers also chipped away the white paint on the exposed brick walls, though some remained painted. “I noticed throughout Pittsburgh, painted brick is really big,” says Serpa. “To pay homage to the history of building, we did leave a little bit of white paint on the brick.”

BEFORE: Patagonia prior to its conversion.

The space originally comprised two lots spread over two storefronts, and many decisions were driven by refurbishing the façade.

The end result is Serpa’s favorite aspect of the conversion. “We like to restore old storefronts, but that was the first time we really took on a massive challenge,” he says. “Once we started peeling back the layers, we realized it was a really beautiful brick building underneath. That storefront made me proud about what we were able to do in the building for the community.”

“They did a great job of renovating the history, which also speaks toward their brand,” says VMSD competition judge Vicki Wiesman, Senior Interior Designer, Kroger (Cincinnati). “I expect high quality, they’re always true to their brand and they excel in everything they do – it doesn’t surprise me!”

To learn more about this year's Retail Renovation Competition winners and honorable mentions, be sure to check vmsd.com throughout the month of September.

To read Bold New Visions, Part I, click here.
To read Bold New Visions, Part II, click here.