CSNews 2017 Store Design Contest Honors a Dozen Standouts
NATIONAL REPORT — Having an attractive, eye-catching convenience store is an advantage when it comes to drawing in customers, but the best designs go beyond the visuals. As the winners of the 2017 Convenience Store News Store Design Contest prove, design also means figuring out the best way to give consumers what they want and then executing it well.
Many of this year's winners and honorable mentions had to face the challenge of balancing a classic look and a legacy with the changing needs and updated technology available to today's convenience market. Operators who must work with an existing structure rather than starting from scratch face an extra hurdle. Foodservice is also a major theme in this year’s top designs. Not only is it important to give customers the food and beverages they want, but the category is extremely visual, making its presentation another crucial design element.
The 12th annual awards program honors new and rebuilt convenience stores whose designs excel in areas such as branding, interior layout, use and effectiveness of signage and logos, and exterior property and landscaping. Store construction or remodeling had to have taken place between January 2016 and April 2017. Winners were selected based on innovation, creativity, and the positive impact of the design and/or remodel on the retailer’s overall business.
This year’s honorees, spanning seven categories, are:
Best Original Design
Winner: American Natural, Cheswick, Pa.
Designer: King-Casey
Honorable Mention: Stan's Restaurant, Columbia, Tenn.
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Best Interior Design
Winner: Sheetz, Morgantown, W. Va.
Designer: Tesser
Honorable Mention: Dara's Corner Market, Manhattan, Kan.
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Best Sky's the Limit Remodel
Winner: Rusty Lantern Market, South Portland, Maine
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Honorable Mention: Twinleaf Store, Akwesasne, N.Y.
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Best Mid-Budget Remodel
Winner: Gas Land Taconic Shell, Pleasant Valley, N.Y.
Best Low-Cost Remodel
Winner: Shay Oil Co., Yuma, Ariz.
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Best Travel Center Design
Winner: Hat Six Travel Center, Evansville, Wyo.
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Honorable Mention: Valley Country Store, Jerome, Idaho
Designer: Paragon Solutions
Best International Design
Winner: Listo!, Lima, Peru
Designer: Studio A – Interbrand
Honorable Mention: ENOC Station, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Look in the October issue of Convenience Store News for spotlights on each winner.