Working the small, intimate angle

I’ve commented before about the important role a small retail store can play as an innovation lab and brand platform, especially for embryonic businesses with lots of learning to do.

Now it seems big companies are increasingly getting in on the discreet store act as a way to learn but also stay relevant or connect with leading-edge consumers who are increasingly shunning big anything.

The latest comes from Coach with its recently announced Coach Legacy stores, the first of which opened on Bleeker Street (where else?) last week. Excerpts from WWD:

“It’s an entirely new concept,” said Krakoff (C’s President & Creative Director), who noted that this isn’t a “sub-brand,” but a way for younger fashion-savvy types to experience the world of Coach. “This is a road map for us.”

Ah, I see. Thanks, Reed. Wait, there’s more:

“We wanted the feel of a small shop as opposed to a big brand,” Krakoff said. “This will be a laboratory for visual ideas and merchandising ideas … It’s the kind of place where people want to spend a lot of time.”

Here’s a first-hand store review from Racked, a blog covering the NYC retail scene.

It’ll be interesting to see how “younger fashion-savvy types” react and how insights from Bleeker ripple into Coach’s mainline business.