JLL helps Bob’s Discount Furniture evolve store concepts to fuel nationwide expansion
Client story
Reimagining the in-store experience for next-generation shoppers
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Location:
United States
Spotlight:
JLL Design
Value:
Driving national expansion with better design strategy
The redesigned "Find your perfect fit" display wall showcases JLL's innovative approach to help shoppers visualize their home design options while providing convenient seating areas for consultations.
JLL's modern dining room display showcases how the new store concept elegantly merchandises furniture collections, inspiring customers to envision complete room designs for their homes.
The colorful seating area in Bob's Café showcases the brand's distinct personality with bright orange, yellow, and turquoise booths that embody a sense of comfort, value and fun.
Bob's Café features vibrant yellow and turquoise branding elements, creating an inviting atmosphere where customers can enjoy complimentary treats during their shopping experience.
Beloved in New England and ready to reach more shoppers, Bob’s Discount Furniture saw opportunity to expand beyond its existing 190 regional stores and into new markets. With the guiding principle that “everyone deserves a home they love,” the vision called for transforming the in-store experience to connect with modern shoppers across the country.
How do you go from regional favorite to national go-to?
“Furniture is an infrequent, high-ticket purchase. How do we keep shoppers coming back?” - Bill Barton, President and CEO
Bob’s had a loyal customer base, but what would it take to appeal to shoppers who had never visited one of its stores? An all-new look and feel for stores that would spark more foot traffic and boost sales while maximizing space, driving value and inspiring shoppers to return.
Having successfully honed its small-format store concepts with JLL Design in 2020, Bob’s tapped JLL again in 2023: this time, to reimagine store formats for larger locations and refresh the entire in-store experience.
The key: Listen and learn, then proceed to innovative design
Working closely with Bob’s leadership, JLL analyzed sales data for the brand’s small-format stores and spoke to stakeholders about what they thought was working (or not) in the current experience. The JLL team shadowed associates for the employees’ point of view and visited competitor stores in six other markets to observe different sales and service offerings. Then Bob’s and JLL partners gathered for a half-day work session to explore how fresh design could help more shoppers feel at home at Bob’s by sparking a sense of comfort, value and fun.
Armed with these insights, JLL designed a human-centric store concept to engage new and existing customers from the outside, in — and through the various service and departmental destinations. To capitalize on growth in the home decor market, the new layout put an accessories department Refront and center to lift sales by inspiring customers to complete their whole room. The new design plays to proven shopper preferences in other ways, too, from an elevated motion furniture department to more seating options in the colorful Bob’s Café.
JLL also found a better way to use in-store signage to make it easy for customers and associates to get where they want, while effectively communicating Bob’s “price AND” value proposition that resonates with customers of all ages.
Making today’s shoppers feel at home with creative design
“It’s all about walking into the store and getting an experience you weren’t expecting. We want customers to say, ‘Wow, these folks are wearing their business model on their sleeves, and I love it.’” - Bill Barton, President and CEO
Bob’s got the modern new look and feel it needed — and the customer experience did too. The new design provides an inviting, hospitable feel that radiates throughout the store, from the décor section through major furniture areas and on to the centrally located café, complete with its mix of colorful seating options where shoppers can enjoy a free treat and contemplate their next big purchase. Elevated and new visual merchandising drives new customer acquisition, particularly in the lead categories of Sleep and Motion Furniture, which are anchored by unique fixtures and graphics.
A blueprint for future furniture shopping
The first location of the new large-format Bob’s Discount Furniture opened in Somerville, Massachusetts in October 2024. The new graphic communications program will hit the full fleet in early 2025.
With a clear design roadmap for the future, Bob’s is set to fulfill big plans: expand across the country and help even more shoppers create the homes they love.