I was in a (crowded musty-dusty) resale furniture shop today. Boy, they sure had things packed in there. Big place.
But I am sure I missed a lot of great merchandise simply because
all the aisles were ruler-straight
This store, in Dallas, uses angled aisles and islands of merchandise, to slow down and intrigue their shoppers.
and I felt like I had to march, double-time, through the shop. And goodness forbid that I swivel my head from one side to another.
Do you do this to YOUR customers? Or do you let them meander, suggest they relax and let their shoulders come out of their habitual hunch?
Straight aisles feel like freeways.
Curved aisles, like wandering streams, with little islands of discovery just waiting to waylay the calm, happy browser, are more conducive to browsing.
And we all know a relaxed, strolling shopper sees more than someone pushing the speed limit.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
A good reminder Kate ~ and thanks for the furniture related post 🙂
We have adopted a layout that is a circular path around the outside circumference of the store with furniture to the left and right, then isles in the middle. Hope that makes sense? You can fit a lot more on an isle than in a grouping but it does not show as nicely, that’s for sure. We also tend to utilize smaller walls to make a vignette here and there, midway down an isle so as you’re walking, there is something halfway down that slows you down a little.
The other relaxing thing that our customers like is music in the shop. Not too loud but loud enough to cover their browsing and conversations, so it’s not creepy-quiet in the store.
I hope someone else posts furniture arrangement ideas that work in their store ~ the ideas we have come up with over time are all trial and error. We love hearing what works for other people.
Sounds perfect, Jenni! That “isle” surrounded by a circular “aisle” is called “racetrack” and is famously productive for all merchandise. Once you start thinking about it you see in lots of stores… most famously Kohl’s, if they are in your area.
Just a little story. The Publix shopping center near me made a common goof in their signage, calling the aisles of parking “Isle A”, “Isle B” and so on. Some wag wrote under the signs “So where’s the sea?”… makes me smile every time I park, imagining waves lapping at my bumpers….