How a Film Set Inspired a New Way Of Helping Small Businesses Thrive

During my time at art school, a casual conversation at a friend's house led to a job opportunity, designing an addition for a fascinating couple's home in downtown Savannah. Little did I know that this chance encounter would send me down a rabbit hole of incredible experiences that continue to shape my life today.

My employers were extraordinary people. Monique was a high ranking official at the United Nations. She was worldly, sophisticated, well versed in other cultures and very elegant. William was a set designer for major movie productions. They had come to Savannah to work on a film that would be shot in the charming downtown streets.

While working with them, I discovered new passions and interests, from wine and jazz to history and French cuisine. They even trusted me with the keys to their historic home and their vast music collection. But the most significant takeaway from that time was the insight into William's work.

He was responsible for transforming Barnard Street into a scene from the 1920s for a Robert Redford-directed movie. I observed as William and the crew created authentic storefronts, adapted streetlights, and covered modern roads with dirt to replicate the era. The scene came alive with actors, props, and lively street vendors, creating a purposeful "sidewalk ballet” that would have made Jane Jacobs proud.

This experience was transformative for me as a young designer, showing me the power of staging to create immersive experiences. I realized that design could shape human behavior. I got to witness first-hand how streets can metamorphose by simple gestures and become the stage for a play that had endless possibilities.

My work as a designer has always had an angle. I had been unsure of what it actually consisted of until only recently. Every single design I’d made required the user to behave a certain way. This is not such a great trait for a home designer but it turns out that it has great potential for one that focuses on retail experiences.?

Still taking my first steps, my family decided to open a bookstore and I, as the family’s designer, was shipped to Buenos Aires to take a class on bookstore design. Little did I know that the instructor, who had designed top-notch bookstores in Argentina, Italy and Singapore, would help me make the connection between the energy and magic of William’s staged street and my family’s desire to create a captivating, welcoming atmosphere for selling books.

They are linked. Indelibly. The result was a bookstore designed to immerse customers in the world of literature, encouraging them to absorb the bookseller's wisdom and take their recommendations to heart. I staged the bookstore to be the best place possible to dive in and buy books, and it was a great success.

Years later, I found myself working with small business owners, exploring the different ways in which they contribute to the health of their streets and the vitality of their neighborhoods. I realized that beauty was a game-changing factor in their success, and this insight led me to create Storefront Mastery.

The concept behind Storefront Mastery is akin to the executive production of a film. Each local business is a set where the stage is meticulously designed, with lighting, ambiance, and every minute detail working harmoniously to immerse customers in the story. Just as a film's production team collaborates to bring a script to life, business owners, designers, and staff members work together to create an authentic, engaging atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression. This approach transforms every visit to a local business into a memorable, cinematic experience that captivates the hearts and minds of customers

The service started as purely design oriented, but quickly shifted to a holistic approach to implementation of a mission & purpose, which in some cases included some form of design upgrade of the physical store, and in most cases included a revision of the business model to rethink the entire interaction of the client with the public facing part of the business, i.e. both the bricks and mortar and the digital storefront.

At Storefront Mastery, we're passionate about the power of local businesses to connect with and build up their communities. Our mission is to reshape the way clients view these businesses by focusing on improving customer interactions that emphasize and boost their unique offerings and their contributions to the wellbeing of their neighborhood. We strive to create outstanding customer experiences that foster interest, loyalty, and ultimately, long-term success for both business and place.

Our purpose is to trigger a positive change in the hearts and minds of business owners, inspiring them to see their stores with fresh eyes, filled with pride and hope. We understand that the journey to storefront mastery is one of continuous improvement and transformation. That's why we provide easy-to-use communication, marketing, and design tools to help businesses enhance their offerings, refine their models, and revitalize their storefronts.

The story of William Armstrong and the magic he created serves as an inspiring example for countless small businesses, and resonates with those seeking to project themselves into a prosperous future. Using the right tools to tell their stories, these businesses can craft their own captivating narratives, turning each storefront into a stage for unforgettable experiences that uplift the community.?

As business owners collectively commit to realizing their potential, a thriving and vibrant future unfolds, one storefront at a time.