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Crabtree & Evelyn puts on a fresh face

By Faye Brookman

Competition can really get ugly in a beautiful category. The retailing of bath and body products used to be simple. A few apothecary-type stores sold soaps and potions. Specialty retailer Crabtree & Evelyn had the corner on the shopping center market with its stores combining beauty and food items. Crabtree & Evelyn's inspiration is the early home apothecary, or "still room,'' as it was called in England. The company is known for recreating 19th century methods of making products.

And for years, Crabtree & Evelyn was the only game in town.

Then, however, The Body Shop entered the fray — igniting a host of other retailers angling for the business. "Without The Body Shop,'' said industry consultant Suzanne Grayson of Grayson & Associates in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., "we wouldn't have seen the explosion of bath retailers like Bath and Body Works and Garden Botanika.'' The business wilted with the overproliferation of choices.

To stand out from the pack, Crabtree & Evelyn, Waltham, Mass., has a fresh new look designed to take the 25-year-old company into the future. There are currently seven stores in the United States sporting the new look, including a site opened late last year at New York City's World Trade Center. High ceilings and tall glass windows accent the store. There's also a mix of materials in cool white tones interwoven with classic elements reminiscent of apothecaries. In addition, the shelving also pays homage to company heritage.

Crabtree & Evelyn's creative director Paul Niski says the company is adapting the concept to its 130 units in the United States. It is expected to take two to three years to roll out.

The timing was right for a fresh look, said David Mann of MR Architecture & Decor, New York City, because of encroaching competition. "And,'' he added, "it was a good time to start introducing the brand to a whole new generation of shoppers.'' While baby boomers are familiar with the chain, Generations X and Y have not been frequent customers.

The basic components of the store, such as an archway, were kept intact. However, even the traditional elements were updated. And, to complement the store design, Crabtree & Evelyn overhauled its product packaging to reflect the new store design. "It was all part of the same process,'' said Mann. "We worked with them so it all went together.'' As part of its new positioning, Crabtree & Evelyn is branching into new categories such as hair care. Also new to the stores is the use of promotional bins featuring value-priced merchandise.

So far, he added, customer reaction has been very positive, and the redesigned stores are luring in younger customers without turning off existing shoppers. The stores are exceeding expectations and are said to be producing sales per square foot of more than $500. That's not to say, however, there hasn't been criticism. According to Mann, some customers asked the chain to soften the look. "The look is evolving and we make changes, based on customer feedback, with each store opening.''