A retail space has to work as a brand environment and a functional commercial space at the same time. The material on the wall communicates as much as the signage or the product does, and those same surfaces have to hold up under constant customer traffic and daily operations. SanFoot natural wood veneer has been specified in flagship retail environments where both requirements had to be met at once.
A Flagship Retail Installation
At the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Tokyo’s Nakameguro district which opened in February 2019, Kengo Kuma and the Starbucks Design Team specified SanFoot Beech Quarter Cut Slip Match across 48,000 square feet and four floors. The material was applied to metal panels, direct applied to gypsum, and acoustical panels across the different levels of the building, giving the design team a single consistent species and finish to carry across substrates that would otherwise have called for separate material decisions. The project gives the space a modern Japanese feel, with the fourth floor delivering its own distinct atmosphere within the larger building.
Design and Substrate Flexibility in One Space
Within a single installation, SanFoot was applied to microperforated acoustical panels and metal wall columns, adapting to different substrates without breaking the visual continuity of the space. The Roastery also includes a distinctive origami-inspired ceiling design carried out in SanFoot, and the Beech Quarter Cut was slip matched throughout, producing a sequential, non-mirrored grain across the installation.
Built for Daily Retail Use
SanFoot arrives from our factory prefinished with a urethane sealer and finish, so the surface stays durable and cleanable under constant customer traffic. An Elite finish is also available for added durability and cleanability in high traffic areas, which suits flagship or high-volume retail locations in particular. Installation is handled by commercial wallcovering installers using standard tools, which supports the efficient buildout and renovation timelines common in retail projects, and the direct-to-drywall approach can bring a documented cost savings of 30 to 50 percent compared to architectural wood panels.
Specifying SanFoot for a Retail Project
Species, custom stain, and substrate choice can be matched to a brand’s material palette and store design concept. Acoustical backing is available where a retail environment needs both design impact and sound management in the same footprint, and the same species and finish can carry across a multi-location rollout so the brand experience stays consistent store to store.
For guidance on species, substrate, and finish options for retail interiors, contact Jacaranda.
