Spar follows an 80/20 principal where interior design is concerned: whilst 80% of the elements and concepts are common to the brand, 20% of the choice of finishes and layout are unique to each individual store. The individualism is based on different aspects, such as the retailer's personality, the consumers that specific store is targeting and the specific market requirements, and allows each store to have its own unique personality.
"Unlike our competitors, it is the inherent nature of Spar to celebrate this differentiation while still acknowledging our brand and our consumers," explained Adrian Breckenridge, designer of Spar South Rand.
It is this individuality and personal preference that played a big role in store owner Adrian Bal's decision to veer away from traditional porcelain tiles in his new flagship store, and to install luxury vinyl tiles and vinyl sheeting by Polyflor SA instead.
"We had been talking to Polyflor SA for some time before we built this store. We knew the product and had seen how well it behaved and how easy it was to maintain after installing their Expona Commercial range and Eco-rubber in the Spar South Rand DC offices and Spar North Rand," Breckenridge said.
Various elements were taken into consideration when the selection process for Superspar Eagle Canyon began. Apart from aesthetic value, the desired floor also needed to complement the balance of the store design and enhance the differentiation between the service departments and dry goods.
"It was important to find a floor that would have the right feel, but also offer high performance, excellent durability, slip resistance, hygiene and maintenance. When we started to develop Eagle Canyon, all the right conditions were in place to create something exceptional and different for the consumers. Fortunately, the owner is vibrant and dynamic, and he is willing to experiment and test the boundaries. After seeing the Polyflor samples and the completed installations, he agreed that this would be the ideal project to introduce Polyflor's flooring range to Spar retailers and consumers," Breckenridge explained.
"Vinyl floors have proven to be an excellent option for high-traffic areas and for use in environments where hygiene is of paramount importance. No longer limited to hospitals and health-care environments, modern vinyl floors come in a wide range of different looks and finishes, including wood, stone or porcelain. They are easy to maintain, slip resistant, able to withstand heavy foot traffic and even inhibit bacterial growth," explained Tandy Coleman-Spolander, marketing director of Polyflor SA.
According to Tandy, Polyflor understands that flooring in the retail environment all about focussing on the store and its products. "The branding, merchandising and interior design is based on the values the business stands for and the offer that it provides. The floor installation must therefore reinforce the brand by either supporting the overall concept or by becoming an important branding and design statement," she said.
Retail flooring has to meet certain functional needs, such as being able to withstand high foot traffic, shopping trolleys and the day-to-day operational issues of moving stock over the floors on the trading are and back-of-house areas. The floors in the food preparation areas also have to conform to health standards similar to those in health-care facilities.
Ongoing maintenance and the long-term replacement of the flooring must also be considered, as changing of porcelain tiles in stores always presents operational difficulties. "All these considerations made vinyl flooring a viable product for this purpose," Breckeridge said.
In consultation with the owner, the Polyflor team and the design team, it was decided to use two major products on the floor and a third as a burst of colour to highlight a specific area, thereby creating a point of differentiation within the store. "We used two major finishes to give us two very contrasting looks. On the one hand, we used Expona Commercial PUR in Blue Recycled Wood, giving a feel that is very natural, warm and engaging in the service department areas, where we created a 'market' feel that subconsciously encourages consumers to mill through the areas. On the other hand, using Pearlazzo PUR Chalkburst we have a clean, modern and slick look that provides an uncomplicated experience in the dry goods areas," he explained.
Both floors have a PUR coating, giving them a polish/sealer-free maintenance regime for the life of the floor. The polyurethane has been reinforced by applying a higher weight, top-quality polyurethane that has been UV cured and cross-linked, to the product, ensuring significant cost savings for the owner in the long run. Furthermore, the lack of grout joints and the smooth, warm feeling of the vinyl floors adds to the ambience and the overall appeal of the shopping experience.
Despite some minor obstacles that had to be overcome, such as the moisture content of the floor slab, which was too high due to the fast building timeline and the fact that the store was built on a green-fields site, installation was completed on time.
Said Breckenridge: "It was great to build the new store from scratch and to work on the project as a team of committed experts. Polyflor was instrumental in the success of the project and was intrinsically involved in every phase - from managing the sales team, through to the technical specialists. Even after their installation was completed, Polyflor did not walk away. They continued to visit site afterwards to inspect the floor and check on any possible issues that may have arose."
"When you're developing a flooring concept, you need more than the right styles and colours. You need more than utter dependability and value pricing. You need a creative partner with flair and flexibility. The Polyflor team has once again proven that we are truly committed to supporting our clients every step of the project - from helping them select the right product, through to the design and installation phase and beyond," Tandy confirmed.
Breckenridge said that he believes the Eagle Canyon Superspar has set a new standard that other stores will soon be following. "I believe that this is just the start. We are looking at various sites and applications for Polyflor's product. This is not only floor coverings, but also various other products like wall and corner protection. For me, as a designer, this project was an inspiration and an honour to be work with an exceptional team producing an exceptional result of which we are all very proud."
