Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM APRIL 2020 60 T he power of transformation is very real. Last fall, Lyle's TV and Appliance in Elkhorn, Wisc., a winner in AVB/BrandSource's showroom Makeover contest, changed their store – and changed the trajectory of their business. I spent several days working alongside owners Tom and Sue Schinke, helping with their showroom remodel in October 2019. The Schinkes would be the first to admit that their store was long overdue for an update, and that most of what we did during the makeover was already on their to-do list. Winning the AVB Makeover: Store Edition contest, which provided courtesy showroom remodels to four member dealers, provided the spark that helped take their business to another level. The revamp has been a catalyst that has brought many changes to the store, all of which have added to the business's bottom line. I recently caught up with Sue to see how things were going at Lyle's all these many months after we finished the project. Sue told me that sales have increased steadily since the store "reopened" and that there's still a buzz over their newly transformed showroom. "The local news media have been all over the story, and we've gotten a ton of publicity that has helped push people in the door," she said. "The makeover sparked phenomenal changes at the store, and the attention we've received has been priceless." If the perception in the community had been that Lyle's was just another small-town mom-and-pop TV and appliance shop, the new look has blown that notion out of the water. The makeover included new flooring, paint, lifestyle signage and merchandising layout. And it totally transformed the space where Lyle's showcases its consumer electronics. Now, the consumer tech section features interactive displays for audio, video, home theater, smart home integration, home security and other cutting-edge products. The revamp of the electronics area has been a huge success. Sue explained, "We've been doing this type of work for years but we never had a decent place to showcase it to the public." Customers are taking note and showing interest in products they'd been unaware that Lyle's even carried. "The hands-on displays are definitely driving business," she said. "They realize we are not just about washers, dryers and refrigerators." When we finished our work on the store last October and took a minute to reflect on the changes, it was hard not to be blown away – not just by how much the showroom had changed, but by how much the changes had transformed the people within its walls. There was a renewed sense of pride and a newfound "pep in the step" among the staff. Sue noted that there's now a palpable excitement the minute her team walks in the building. That kind of energy transcends everyday work and carries over throughout the day, both inside and outside the store. "This is not an old mom-and-pop downtown store anymore," she said. "It is a clean, vibrant and exciting place to work now, and people on the team are proud to work here." A full-blown makeover project like the one we completed at Lyle's without a doubt made a huge impact. New paint, flooring and fixtures will do that for any store. While a top-to-bottom revamp isn't an option for most of us, unfortunately, it is possible to commit to small changes that will make an impact at a reasonable cost. I suggest starting with smaller, incremental areas of focus and working your way up to the bigger projects. If you have any doubt about the power of a retail transformation, just ask Sue Schinke and you too will become a believer! B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S BRANDSOURCE MAKEOVER HONEYMOON CONTINUES AT LYLE'S RO Andy Kriege is General Manager of Communications at AVB/BrandSource. Before: Lyle's TV department. After: The revamped electronics section is driving new business in home theater and smart-home integration.

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