The layout and furnishing of your local business are essential factors in the success of your project. Solid wood shelves allow you to highlight your delicatessen, wine cellar or ready-to-wear products. By playing with the different types of shelves available, you can optimize the space in your store as much as possible while creating thematic spaces so that your customer can easily find their way around as soon as they walk through the door. To choose the ideal shelves for your business, follow the guide!
- Make a layout plan for your shop
- Choose shelves adapted to your business
- Modular shelves according to your needs
Drawing up a layout plan for your shop
The first step you need to take before choosing shelving for your local shop is to draw up a layout plan. Depending on the surface area of your business premises, you will arrange the furniture in different ways. Corner shelves or columns can help you make the most of the space. Think about the route your customers will take: which way will they go? Where should your shelves be positioned so that your products are as visible as possible? Don't forget that your products need to be displayed in full view of your customers, so your shelves shouldn't be too high or too low. In our buying guide, which explains how to make the most of your delicatessen products, you'll find our advice on ‘zoning’ or arranging the space in your shop.
You can also create themed areas using shelves with compartments to highlight certain product categories (t-shirts and jumpers for ready-to-wear boutiques, champagnes and wines for wine merchants, etc.). You can also use these solid wood shelves to showcase products that complement each other, like aperitif biscuits next to bottles of wine, for example. The same goes for seasonal products, as you can easily place baskets of fruit and vegetables on open shelves with compartments, visible from your doorstep. What's more, solid wood gives a warm, natural feel to your shop and your products, and adapts easily to any type of decoration, making it an invaluable ally when it comes to furnishing your business. 
Tradis shelves for delicatessen
Choosing shelves adapted to your shop
Once you have thought about your layout plan and the direction of traffic in your local business (wine merchant, delicatessen, ready-to-wear boutique, etc.), you can consider the question of furniture. What solid wood furniture will you choose? First ask yourself a few questions based on your business and the products you will sell.
Depending on the business
Is your business premises suitable for people with reduced mobility? Depending on the space you have, include a passage wide enough to comply with the accessibility standards for your business. You can also opt for low shelves so that certain products are available to people with disabilities, even if you will obviously accompany them throughout their visit to your store.
If you offer a wine merchant activity, consider choosing solid wood shelves that can support the weight of the bottles of wine and champagne. The waterproofing of the shelves is also very important, especially if you plan to organize wine tastings with your customers for example. Solid wood has a proven reputation for being robust and durable, choosing it as the main material for your furniture ensures you many years of peace of mind.
Depending on the products to be displayed
Depending on the products you plan to sell in your local store, ask yourself whether it would be more interesting to have open or closed shelves? The advantage of open shelves is that they allow you to see the products. Closed shelves, on the other hand, allow you to store stock of goods. But to make as many of your products as possible visible, we advise you to install open shelves for the most part or in part.
Also take into account the load weight and volume of your products. You will not choose the same shelf depending on them. A wine merchant may opt for sturdy wine shelves that include storage racks and inclined surfaces to display wine bottles. While a clothing and accessories store will simply need a solid wood wardrobe to display its clothes. A baker will choose bakery furniture suitable for his activity, such as a bakery shelf with several inclined levels to display his breads and pastries.
Tradis shelves for professional wine merchants or delis
Modular shelving to suit your needs
To fit out your local shop and make the most of every m2, there are a number of different shelf formats available. If you want to use every nook and cranny of your shop, or if your shop is small, opt for a corner or column shelf. This will allow you to showcase your products without wasting space. To limit the number of trips you make to the back of the shop, install a solid pine shelf with a storage compartment at the bottom. Ideal for replenishing your stock as the day progresses. Finally, as you know, the checkout area is a ‘hot’ zone, meaning that your customers are bound to spend some time there when they've finished shopping. Take the opportunity to install a low shelf where you can display your sweets, chocolates, accessories and corkscrews! This will certainly encourage your customers to make an impulse purchase just before settling their bill.
So, the choice of shelving for your convenience store depends on a number of factors. Take the time to think about your layout before you start furnishing your premises. The idea is to showcase your products so that your customers can see them. Tradis has a wide range of solid wood shelving to help you do just that!