Studio Doherty harnessed the hands-on nature of traditional spice markets, an old-world sensibility of the European retail experience and the contemporary thinking of today to entice and intoxicate food-lovers across two Gewurzhaus Herb & Spice Merchants stores.
Each Gewurzhaus store needs to have its own personality shine through the interior scheme, while always maintaining the signature gold logo, signage and of course the spices as heroes. We incorporated Gewurzhaus’ gold branding pride of place at the front of the store – greeting customers on arrival and then sending them on their way with their beautifully wrapped purchases.
Tucked into a tiny 27sqm, the new Queen Victoria Market store is all about ‘self service’ with country-of-origin spice wrapping around two sides of the space. Tiered Victorian ash plinths house acrylic tubular forms for loose spices, while black linoleum floors accented by black and white tiles, contrast with the aged brass and glass shelving, evoking an old-world European charm. Bespoke pendant light-fittings made from brass Indian tiffins add that signature quirk for which Studio Doherty are known are for.
It was important to maintain the tradition of refined German shopkeeping in both service and aesthetic, and to let the spices and their history speak for themselves. Drawing attention to this was achieved through timeless design, creating something which could be contemporary now or 100 years ago.