Mikasa

Any company that's been in business for 56 years will likely have undergone a number of changes over the decades in order to keep abreast of trends and a changing marketplace. Tabletop and giftware resource Mikasa is just such a business, starting out as an importer and wholesaler, then adding factory outlet shops and, later, full-price retail stores.

In 1948, George Aratani founded American Commercial Inc., in California, as an importer of dinnerware. The company grew over the next 20 years, supplying imports to big retailers such as Bloomingdale's and Macy's, and introduced the Mikasa brand name in 1957. During the 1970s, Mikasa added stemware, flatware, crystal gifts and frames, ceramic vases, table linens, and decorative accessories to its lineup.

Today, the company is headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, and operates 160 retail stores in 40 states, as well as several outlet shops and a consumer catalog. Mikasa also wholesales to 6,700 retail accounts across the country. youthful image

In 2003, the company looked at the way it was operating its specialty stores, and decided it was time to make another change. It wanted to showcase the Mikasa brand, and "upscale" the perception of its product line in the minds of consumers. While the outlet stores are price-driven, the company felt its specialty stores should highlight Mikasa's stylish brands, according to Diane Perry, director of merchandising for Mikasa specialty stores.

The company engaged architectural firm JGA of Southfield, Michigan, and its design team: chairman Ken Nisch, creative director Kathi McWilliams, and project manager Mike McCahill. (Readers of Gifts & Decorative Accessories will be familiar with JGA, which has won a number of Retailer Excellence Awards for stores such as Ross-Simons in Durham, North Carolina; Zehnder's Magic of the Seasons in Frankenmuth, Michigan; and the gift shop of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.) At meetings between Mikasa and JGA, it was determined that the tabletop company would merchandise its products in a "lifestyle format," rather than by classification, "offering an environment segmented around style and design themes," according to JGA.

The prototype site selected was an existing Mikasa store in Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, Illinois. The 4,300-square-foot space was reconfigured into merchandise zones, each offering a unique array of styles and tastes. "Fusion" presents Asian-influenced design. "City" offers a sophisticated selection of hard lines and geometric forms, while "Country" is warmer and more rustic. "Connoisseur" focuses on entertainment trends, and Mikasa's gift and bridal registry is supported by a tabletop zone outfitted with a registry station and consulting room. The result is a "street" of distinctive shops that invites the customer to browse.

Since much of the store's product is perceived as fragile, dramatic contrast was established with the use of bold materials in fixtures and wall and floor finishes. Ebony-colored wood, illuminated glass, distressed brick, polished plaster, marble, and ceramic tile add energy to the store, inviting customers to touch and enjoy products. Salviati art glass is showcased in an internally illuminated shadow-box wall, which has deep shelves and makes a strong, engaging statement. Twelve-foot illuminated graphics serve as kinetic focal points, as do smaller, tightly cropped photographs of lifestyle events and architectural details.

While the overall presentation makes a serious statement about the style and quality of Mikasa products, a touch of humor helps engage the consumer on a more personal level. What, at first glance, look like standard ceiling chandeliers turn out to be ingenious display racks. One holds inverted stemware, while the other is a compilation of white ceramic plates, a teapot, and creamers.

But before the consumer can immerse herself in this design-oriented environment, she must first be drawn into the store. An uncluttered storefront featuring floor-to-ceiling windows accomplishes that by "opening" the store to passersby. A window pole system by Matrix Fixtures consists of stainless steel poles supporting shelves at various levels, creating the image of free-floating merchandise without blocking the view into the store.

Mikasa at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg opened in September 2003. Diane Perry reports that results have been good, with the store attracting new customers. Since then, the prototype design has been rolled out to two other locations: one in Richmond, Virginia (February 2004), and another in Houston (May 2004). Unlike the Schaumburg store, which is located in a traditional, enclosed mall, the new stores are situated in open air malls or "lifestyle centers," says Perry, with neighbors such as Williams-Sonoma and Anthropologie.

"The Mikasa store opening in [Richmond] is a long way from the retailer's outlet stores," says a company press release. "The new shop reflects Mikasa's decidedly new, upscale, youthful image, showcasing fashionable designs … for virtually every taste."

In its 57th year, Mikasa moves again to keep abreast of the trends and a changing marketplace.