How to Win the Olympics of International Retail Construction

Chuck Taylor best commercial contractors, Brand recognition, Chicago retail, client’s time zone, general commercial contractor, Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, International Brands, International Retail Construction, international retailer, Michigan Avenue construction, new retail construction, Olympic news, pre-construction process, UL approved 07/23/2012

Building Michigan Avenue flagship stores for international brands like Zara is a sweet spot for Englewood Construction.

With the 2012 Summer Olympics right around the corner, it got me thinking that with London six hours ahead of Chicago, much of what we’ll be watching will be old news taped from earlier in the day. While most of us will accept delayed Olympic news due to the time zone difference, the same isn’t true when working with international brands and new retail construction.

In fact, when building a flagship retail store on Michigan Avenue for an international retailer, the best way for a general commercial contractor to have a successful Chicago retail construction project and stick to its commercial construction timeline is to forget about Central Standard Time and work in your client’s time zone.

The other year we were building a handful of stateside stores for Michael Hill, a New Zealand-based jewelry retailer, which is 16 hours ahead of Chicago. So at 7 p.m. on Sunday nights we would Skype as they were getting ready to start their Monday. Conversely, when it was daytime here, the client was asleep, which meant if we needed answers from the client we had to be prepared to wait. Again, the best commercial contractors know how to anticipate for these challenges and work them into the construction schedule.

But it’s not just a difference in time zones that needs to be overcome in order to have a successful international retail construction project. As a member of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association’s public way committee, I interface with commercial property owners and managers as well as retailers along Michigan Avenue and the theme for some time has been to cater to the international shoppers who continue to come to Chicago as a destination.

Because of the influx of international shoppers to the city, you can expect a rise in international retailers in Chicago. In the last two years, international brands like Topshop and AllSaints have opened on Michigan Avenue and British outwear retailer Barbour and London-based fashion house Eskandar Ltd. will be opening soon on Walton Street. Japanese-based Uniqlo is also looking for the perfect space to make its debut in Chicago.

So what else do international retailers need to take into account before opening a store stateside?

Brand recognition – Not all international brands are well known. For smaller brands, you might want to take a lesson from Mango. The Spanish retailer hired us to build stand-alone retail stores in making its stateside debut, but shuttered those soon after. So Mango switched gears and moved to a more successful “store within the store” retail concept as a shelf brand with J.C. Penney. Sometimes it’s better to start small and grow your brand before launching on your own.

Language barrier – In completing a store for Oilily we worked with Swedish instructions, metric measurements and a French designer. You might think that spelled a recipe for disaster, but our passion in completing the project overcame any language barrier. However, if translators are needed, you need to determine upfront who will pay for that expense.

Logistics – While some international retailers let us fabricate millwork, others prefer to ship materials from their country. If materials are being shipped, make sure your general construction firm is experienced in receiving materials from customs.

Measurements – Because of its accuracy, the metric system is perfect for construction. Make sure your GC’s team can instantly convert from the industry standard to the metric system.

Municipality/U.S. code compliance – If you can, bring a general commercial contractor into the pre-construction process as early as possible, so they can let clients know during the design build process what needs to be changed to comply with U.S. codes. Not only do international materials need to be UL approved, but the design needs to meet municipality standards.

Customs – Working with a retail contractor who is already familiar with the customs of different countries also makes for a smoother construction process. Certain ways you point, talk or dress could be viewed as offensive in other countries, so a little customs primer goes a long way. Also, GCs would do well to remember that July 4th and Thanksgiving are U.S.-only holidays. So don’t be surprised if some international clients expect you to work that day.

Remember these tips and you could win the gold in international retail construction.