Interstore bridges the gap between retail vision and flawless execution

Strategy, design, and implementation sit under one roof to turn physical stores into stronger revenue drivers.

Physical stores remain one of retail's most powerful sales channels. However, many fail to reach their full commercial potential. Even when retailers invest heavily in products, promotions, and digital experiences, customers often still struggle to navigate the store, discover products, or connect with the brand.

The difference lies not in what retailers sell, but in how the store is designed and delivered. Every layout, fixture, and customer touchpoint affects how shoppers move, what they notice, and ultimately what they buy.

This is where Interstore makes the difference. As the world's only retail design agency that owns its own shopfitting company, Interstore helps retailers develop store concepts that are not only visually compelling but also commercially effective. Working alongside Schweitzer, which provides engineering, manufacturing, production of refrigerated desks and counters, and installation expertise, Interstore offers an integrated approach that brings strategy, design, and implementation under one roof.

Retail Asia sat down with Bernhard Heiden, Creative Director, Interstore and CSO, Schweitzer, to understand how Interstore transforms stores into revenue drivers.

Many retailers continue to invest in products and marketing yet still struggle to maximise in-store performance. What are the most common design challenges preventing physical stores from reaching their full revenue potential?

A successful store requires more than strong products and promotions. When layouts are confusing, customer journeys are unclear or key categories are poorly positioned, valuable sales opportunities are lost. Common challenges include weak orientation, ineffective product adjacencies, poor visibility, and inconsistent communication at the point of sale. Great retail design brings together layout, customer flow, visual merchandising, branding, and operational efficiency to create stores that guide customers naturally, encourage discovery, and increase conversion.

As customer expectations continue to evolve, what role does retail design play in helping grocery retailers create engaging shopping experiences that drive both loyalty and sales?

Retail design transforms shopping from a transaction into an experience. Well-designed stores provide orientation, inspiration, and convenience whilst creating an emotional connection with the brand. Clear sightlines, engaging fresh-food areas, cross-merchandising, and effective storytelling help customers discover products and make confident purchasing decisions. “Talking Fixtures,” graphics and signage can even communicate product benefits when staff are unavailable, resulting in longer visits, higher basket values, and stronger customer loyalty.

How does Interstore's integrated model with shopfitting company Schweitzer enable retailers to bridge the gap between design vision and flawless execution?

Interstore is the only retail design agency worldwide that owns its own shopfitting company. By combining strategic retail design with Schweitzer's engineering, manufacturing, and installation expertise, the entire project is managed under one roof.

Design and implementation teams collaborate from the outset, ensuring concepts remain technically feasible, cost-efficient, and true to the original vision — reducing risks, simplifying coordination, and delivering consistently high-quality results.

Why is owning an in-house shopfitting company a competitive advantage for retailers undertaking store transformations?

Having in-house manufacturing and implementation provides full control over quality, costs, timing, and technical execution. Instead of coordinating multiple external partners, retailers work with a single integrated team.

This Design & Build approach enables faster decision-making, early problem-solving, and greater consistency from concept to completed store, ensuring the finished environment reflects the original commercial objectives.

How do your concepts “Design & Build” and “Design & Rollout” support both local relevance and brand consistency?

Design & Build is ideal for new concepts, flagship stores, and tailored market solutions, adapting each project to local customer behaviour, architecture, and operational needs.

Design & Rollout transforms successful concepts into scalable systems with standardised design principles and modular solutions that can be adapted across different store formats whilst maintaining a consistent brand experience.

How will Interstore continue to help retailers transform physical stores into high-performing environments that support long-term business growth?

Retailers increasingly need stores that are flexible, efficient and easy to adapt. Interstore and Schweitzer combine retail strategy, design, branding, shopfitting, refrigeration, and rollout into one integrated approach that supports long-term business performance.

By developing scalable concepts, energy-efficient technologies, and adaptable store solutions, we help retailers respond to changing customer expectations whilst improving operational efficiency and reducing long-term costs.

For more information, visit www.schweitzergroup.com or contact Schweitzer Director International Sales Vera Leonardelli at [email protected].