Winter 2009
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CKA3KA, the Russian Fairytale Toy Store, Opens in Moscow
CKA3KA (pronounced “Skazka”), an interactive flagship toy store designed by Chute Gerdeman Retail, opened November 14th near Moscow’s historic Red Square.
CKA3KA melds traditional Russian style with the most modern retail concepts. The environment combines an underlying motif of Russian fairytales with elements of modern fun that children worldwide will appreciate. As soon as customers enter the store, they find themselves immersed in an interactive fairytale world filled with fun and magic. Race cars speed by on tracks, while helicopters fly overhead, and favorite toys come alive in the artful hands of animators.
Each of CKA3KA’s four levels features a unique world with its own magical atmosphere. In addition to areas for Science, Arts and Crafts, and Construction, there are also areas for Games and Puzzles, Magic, Cars, and Dolls.
CKA3KA and CG designers gave particular attention to preschool-aged children, who are invited to have fun and learn in unique play areas, such as LEGO.
A magical Party Room is the perfect setting to celebrate special family occasions and birthday parties.
In addition, collectors will find an extensive inventory of exclusive and collectible items at CKA3KA. And CKA3KA carries treasured toys of Russian origin, appealing to parents who want to introduce their children to Russian history.
Chute Gerdeman founder and Principal, Denny Gerdeman, says, “Our experience in designing children’s retail around the world enabled us to understand the category quickly. CKA3KA is truly a destination toy store for kids, and their families, and is sure to become a new landmark for all who visit and live in Moscow.”
CKA3KA melds traditional Russian style with the most modern retail concepts. The environment combines an underlying motif of Russian fairytales with elements of modern fun that children worldwide will appreciate. As soon as customers enter the store, they find themselves immersed in an interactive fairytale world filled with fun and magic. Race cars speed by on tracks, while helicopters fly overhead, and favorite toys come alive in the artful hands of animators.
Each of CKA3KA’s four levels features a unique world with its own magical atmosphere. In addition to areas for Science, Arts and Crafts, and Construction, there are also areas for Games and Puzzles, Magic, Cars, and Dolls.
CKA3KA and CG designers gave particular attention to preschool-aged children, who are invited to have fun and learn in unique play areas, such as LEGO.
A magical Party Room is the perfect setting to celebrate special family occasions and birthday parties.
In addition, collectors will find an extensive inventory of exclusive and collectible items at CKA3KA. And CKA3KA carries treasured toys of Russian origin, appealing to parents who want to introduce their children to Russian history.
Chute Gerdeman founder and Principal, Denny Gerdeman, says, “Our experience in designing children’s retail around the world enabled us to understand the category quickly. CKA3KA is truly a destination toy store for kids, and their families, and is sure to become a new landmark for all who visit and live in Moscow.”
In Other News...
With signs of recovery from the recession we’re also seeing signs of a redefined retail landscape. As many retailers look for creative ways to grab the attention of consumers who are beginning to spend again, we’re seeing some unique partnerships starting to pop up. [More]
PETCO has built a multi-million dollar business caring for and supplying pet owners with everything from ferret food to fuzzy toys. As this unique business grew, so did the challenges. PETCO issued the call to Chute Gerdeman to “come,” “sit,” and listen, which we did. [More]
In celebration of Chute Gerdeman’s 20th anniversary, we’ve introduced a new Gist feature—20/20 Vision. Twenty years at the forefront of retail strategy and design has given us a unique perspective on our ever-changing industry, and our trendwatchers are bringing you their insights—everything from consumer trends and hot new concepts to cutting-edge materials and great do-it-yourself visual techniques. This issue of the Gist marks our final installment, rounding out our list with these five great finds. [More]
Chute Gerdeman recently launched its exciting webinar program, a retail snapshot of New York, London, and Sao Paulo. Joanna Felder, Director, Creative Strategy and Jay Highland, Director, Brand Communications shared their favorite finds in store design, visual merchandising, and brand communications. [More]
The holidays are here and metallic sparkle is in the air! Whether it’s hot off the fashion runway, holiday decorations, or merchandise in a retail space, shimmery and sparkly metallics are the coolest trend in surfaces. [More]
Several Chuties will be attending major upcoming industry events. Check out our calendar below and let us know if you’ll be attending and want to meet up. [More]
Several Chute Gerdeman concepts have recently been features in the news. Read more about Christopher & Banks, Swiss Farms, CKA3KA, and West Marine. [More]
Our resident trend-spotters have been keeping us abreast of all the coolest, hippest, most interesting happenings over the past year. We collect and share our findings on our internal Trend Blog, where everyone at CG can catch up on the next big things and find inspiration from all over the world. We asked our Blog editorial staff to find something noteworthy from retail this holiday season...Our Favorite Holiday Things of 2009! [More]
The Gist took an informal poll to find out just what holiday music is in major rotation on CG iPods—and what songs make us go “Bah! Humbug!” [More]
The Gist took an informal poll to find out just what holiday treats are dancing around in our heads—and which dishes we’d rather pass on. [More]
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