Aligned With the Elements

Most retail histories are not a simple straight line. Retailers subtly shift their focus over time, tinkering here and adjusting there, until they settle into that happy niche which suits both them and their customers.

This can definitely be seen in the story of Frank and Theresa Ilagan. The husband-and-wife team purchased a gift store on New York's Upper West Side in 1997. They renamed it "Wind & Water," which is the English translation of feng shui, the ancient Chinese philosophy that they would use to design and shape their store. "I was kind of scared of it, because I thought people who came in might think it was too holistic," Frank said of the name. He was happy to discover that his fears were unfounded: Passersby were intrigued by the name and came in to browse.

However, the Ilagans were less than satisfied with their first store. It was in an extremely high-traffic area of Manhattan, but that also meant high rent. The two decided to shift to a location on the Upper East Side; they felt that the wealthier residents there would be more suited to Wind & Water's upscale mix of decorative accessories, gifts for adults and children, small furniture pieces, and handcrafted artisanal products. Instead of relying on high customer traffic for their success, the Ilagans would employ the strategy of creating a destination store, one that would draw discerning customers again and again. This East Side incarnation would become their sole venue with the closure of their original store in May 2001.

The Ilagans found a 1,500-square-foot former pharmacy in an Art Deco building on Second Avenue, and they turned to the firm Horst Design International to help them transform it into a gift store guided by the principles of feng shui. Cabinetry made from cherry wood, floors of stained maple, paint in seafoam green and ochre tones, and coarse sisal wallcoverings combine to create the desired feeling of balance and harmony with nature. Hanging windchimes subtly evoke the "wind" in the store's name. The original design also included a water display, but in practice Frank found that it interfered with customer traffic flow, so it was removed.

The Ilagans wanted to make sure that customers were drawn to the back of the store, where the children's section would be, so the designers came up with an enticing solution: a painted wooden fireplace adorned with carved ribbons and cherubs. The ornate quality of the area continues with elephants carved above the display shelves and slim faux columns carved on either side of the fireplace. The charming fixture catches the eye of customers, drawing them to the section. It is also a natural asset when it comes time to do Christmas displays. Stockings can be hung from the mantel, and other products can be displayed atop the fireplace and in the mirrored niches above it.

In addition, the fireplace lends a residential feel to the store, reminiscent of the brownstone homes occupied by many of the customers in the area. "We wanted to be a neighborhood store, to give a familiar feel to people who are around," Frank explained.

Customers are encouraged to move through the store by overhead panels that lead inward from the front door, culminating at the midpoint in a softly lit oculus on the ceiling. The oculus is mirrored by a circle of variegated green slate on the floor below. The overall effect is dramatic, yet subtle enough to work within the nature theme.

The elements of Wind & Water's interior are carried over into its packaging and shopping bag, which were also designed by Horst Design. The two icons in the logo — a butterfly and a mermaid — represent wind and water, while the pale blue, green, and buff tones have a natural feel. Completing the design is a poem that Frank composed, celebrating love of the joys of life.

Thus the store design and packaging elements of Wind & Water work together to create a cohesive, peaceful whole, all shaped by the defining concept of "good taste." Frank noted, "It's a seduction, so to speak, because women love to shop."

Women — and men — have responded to the store's gentle and stylish appeal. The renovation, which had begun in July 1999, concluded in March 2000, some months after the store's November 1999 opening. In its first year, the new Wind & Water did annual sales of roughly $750,000.

Pleased with the shift in focus, and with the niche that they've found on the Upper East Side, the Ilagans are starting to chart the next adjustment in their course. "My wife and I love good design and art," Frank said enthusiastically. "We might open another store and try to start a small chain."