How New Décor Upgrades Your Store & Boosts Sales

Want to boost sales and give your shoppers and employees improved morale? Refreshing your store’s décor can do just that, all for relatively low cost with high impact.

"Data doesn’t lie: upgrading your store's décor grows sales — on average 10%. With a short payback period of just a few months, you get more engaged shoppers, and happier employees," Independent Grocers Alliance CEO John Ross said. 

“Updated décor is so impactful for an independent grocery store," Ross continued, "which is why we worked with an agency to create an affordable and easy décor program for our members."

Designed to highlight the Local Equals Fresh branding to Independent Grocers Alliance members and focus on a store's key differentiators, the signage can be fully customized for retailers’ local communities. From the modern, fresh features to custom local photographs, the IGA décor kit offers an impressive store upgrade for less money, thanks to the Alliance's power of scale.

“Normally, stores would pay three to four times as much to create a custom new look for their stores. By using our kit, they can save and start seeing the ROI almost immediately,” Ross said.

 In addition to the 10% increase in store sales (on average), the low cost, high return on investment in a new décor package is also a fast improvement with minimal disruptions — most retailers said the installation was finished in a few days, with some teams working after hours or during low traffic hours.

Key Takeaways:

• Stores who updated their décor with IGA's Décor Package see a 10% average sales boost after installation
• IGA's Décor Package is professionally designed and allows for customization to highlight local points of difference
• Available for branded or non-branded retailers
• Costs 3-4x less than commissioning a design firm individually
• Can be installed in 3-4 days after hours or during low traffic times

New Décor = Sales Increase

Why the immediate increase in sales? "Shoppers assume an updated, modern, and fresh-looking store means the food and items on shelves are fresher," Ross said.

If it's been longer than 7 years since you've done a store decor refresh, it's time!

“We definitely saw a sales increase of roughly 10%,” Tyler Myers, owner of seven stores (and one under contract) in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, said. Myers installed the IGA décor package at his Super Bear IGA store in Juneau, Alaska, and remodeled a newly purchased store, Key IGA, in Lakebay, Washington with the décor package.

Customized For Your Community

“The décor package is a bold look, with the charcoal color and chalkboard theme, and I was not sure how it would look in our store,” Myers said. “But I was very pleased with the results and how easily customizable it was for our different locations."

The new décor in Super Bear IGA in Juneau, Alaska.

“It was such a simple plug and play process. With [Windmill Market] being our third store, we already paid off the first two stores in terms of the redesign within the first year,” said Chang So, owner of Hollister IGA Supermarkets and Windmill Market in California.

Jim Shook, owner of Lake Region IGA in Hawley, Pennsylvania, said his décor refresh made his store more relevant, more competitive, and provided a brighter appearance in the community, making them look state-of-the-art.

“The repainting of the store, the changing of the flooring from white to wood grain,” he said. “The signage is so local to our area that it’s a complete package. You can’t just do one thing and make one spot of your store look beautiful. We did the whole store, and we love it.”

Multiple IGA members discuss the success of the success of the decor program. 

Shoppers & Employees Love It

Shook has a lot of tourists in the area during the summer since his store is near Lake Wallenpaupack, one of Pennsylvania's largest reservoirs with 52 miles of uninterrupted shoreline. When the vacationers arrive, he said the surprised looks are never ending.

“I think the best feedback that I’ve gotten from customers – especially those visiting our area who have never been here before – is the first thing they say is, ‘What a lovely store you have. How long have you been open?’ The shock on their faces when we say we’ve been here [over] 35 years. They say, ‘You’re kidding me; it doesn’t look that old.’ It’s been a strong revenue generator for us,” Shook said.

Lake Region IGA's Butcher signage.

Across the country in California, customers and associates shared their great appreciation for Windmill Market’s new décor.

“We wanted to refresh our store mainly to give back to our community, and to our customers. We thought this was something we needed to do. We wanted to basically update the store to make it look more modern,” So said. 

“I’ve probably been shopping at Windmill Market for 15 years. I like how [the décor refresh] has turned out,” said a longtime customer in a video interview. “It looks a lot cleaner and nicer in here. I do think it looks like they’re taking pride in their store.”

Not only does the new décor please customers, it also boosts morale for employees, fostering a sense of pride in their modern workplace.

“The new look makes me feel like it’s more organized and cleaner. It’s more welcoming for the customers,” said a Windmill Market employee. “The redesign makes me proud to work here.”

A shelf tag about a local California farmer whose food is sold at Windmill IGA.

What Comes in the Sign Kit?

In the signage kit, you’ll find: hanging signs, window signs, stanchion signs, vertical blades, case clings, mini blades, stickers, product tags, and display signs. If you choose the self-installation option (more on that below), you will receive an installation guide to walk you through where to install each type of sign, including:

• Store entrance
• Meat, produce, bakery, deli, dairy departments
• Center store
• Craft beer and wine

The program most commonly includes:

• Fresh paint
• Bulkhead/perimeter department signage
• Aisle navigation/wayfinding
• Exterior branding/road sign

 Before and after IGA's décor at John’s IGA in Versailles, Ohio.

How Much Time and Money Will it Cost?

The décor program is specifically tailored for Independent Grocers Alliance member stores, whether they are IGA-branded or not, ensuring a streamlined process from start to finish. The standardized approach reduces the time and effort required for store upgrades, resulting in cost savings and minimal disruption to daily operations.

From initial commitment to store install it takes between 4 and 10 weeks, depending on the store’s specific needs and manufacturer and installer timelines.

We'll work within your budget, but the cost largely depends on a number of factors. Prices have ranged anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000. Prices will vary based on the type of delivery (self-install vs. professional install), location, size of store, and vendor selection.

For example, Super Bear IGA is a 25,000 square foot store, and their décor upgrade cost roughly $60,000. “The time taken to recoup the investment was probably two years,” Myers said.

We can connect you with IGA-preferred vendors who work with retailers across the country. If you prefer to work with your own sign vendor, contact us and we’ll help coordinate the décor implementation.

Ready for a refresh? Want to get an idea of what this new décor would actually look like in your store? Snap a photo of your produce, meat, or deli department and we'll show you what it could look like with IGA Décor.

Have questions or feedback? Contact Megan Drazer, our senior manager of shopper content, here or fill out the form below.