The EHI Retail Institute is a research and consulting institute for the retail industry and a partner of the E-Commerce Institute Cologne. EHI’s new article gives exciting insights on the pop-up store of the rock band Queen. Click here for more info!
We will, we will, store you!
With a pop-up store in the famous pedestrian zone Carnaby Street in London’s Soho district, the renowned British rock band Queen celebrates its more than 50-year anniversary.
“Queen The Greatest” is the name of the experiential store, which opened September 2021 and will celebrate the five decades of the band’s history through January 2022 – with a lineup of limited-edition music releases, collaborations with fashion brands such as Champion, Wrangler and Johnny Hoxton jewelry, and lifestyle merchandise. Developed in collaboration with Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company, Bravado, etc. The temporary space, located just a few feet from the Rolling Stones store on the same street, will feature a lineup of limited-edition music releases, Wrangler and Johnny Hoxton jewelry, as well as lifestyle merchandise.
The sales area extends over the basement and first floor and is designed as a series of shop-in-shops, each representing a decade of Queen’s career. In addition, each month is dedicated to a theme, ranging from “Music” to “Art & Design” and “Magic”. Visual installations bring the band’s history of each decade into focus. For example, a thrift store symbolizes Queen’s beginnings in the 1970s, when band members Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Tylor owned a stall at Kensington Market. Iconic live performances and tours represent the 80s and a record store the 90s. The ’00s feature a series of DVDs in tribute, and tech concepts present the 2010s.
The store design should also reflect the decade represented in each case. Thus, wallpaper in the style of the 70s is reminiscent of Queen’s first decade. In the basement, guitars by Brian May mounted on the wall are eye-catchers that can be ordered on request. Another highlight are various projections, which reproduce different scenes from live performances of the band. In the center of the store, a pinball machine encourages fans to play.
“Queen will be back on tour this year. We want to celebrate their five decades of existence with an immersive and experiential store for Queen fans,” said Keith Taperell, vice president of retail and sales at Bravado.