14 minute read
The vibe’s the thing
from CCR Issue 9
Gary Leff, Owner, Hatch
The vibe’s the thing
Arecent Google review says everything you need to know about the type of atmosphere the Hatch Dispensary team wanted to create for its customers: Not a visit do I not walk out happy. The staff is A+!! I’ve always been greeted and helped with EVERY question I’ve ever asked. I simply love the vibe the shop has. The people are really knowledgeable and always willing to help. For Hatch President Gary Leff, the breakthrough cannabis dispensary was designed to put serving its customers’ needs above all else. That means incorporating a little bit of everything—care, knowledge, expertise and atmosphere—into the mix. The takeaway is that Hatch is not your average cannabis experience. Defined by its medical and recreational menus, the store’s layout, designed by Chicago architecture firm, DMAC Architecture P.C., makes browsing its vast selections as appeasing as the products themselves. Leff says his teams spends countless hours curating and selecting products that will fit the specific needs its customers want. To get an inside look at the Hatch Dispensary brand and its newest store in Addison, Illinois, we sat down with Leff and Dwayne MacEwen, principal and creative director of Chicago-based DMAC Architecture P.C.
WALK US THROUGH HOW YOU WORKED WITH HATCH ON DEVELOPING THE BRAND EXPERIENCE. Dwayne MacEwen: The refresh and rebrand started when the original Addison location was approved and licensed to add adult-use sales to the existing medical-use store. At the time, Gary was also working toward a second dispensary in Wheeling.
Dwayne MacEwen
With that in mind, the brand had to appeal to a broad spectrum of customers. The beauty of our process and Gary’s vision is that the Addison location became a test lab for design and branding for a “breakthrough experience.” Given that the Wheeling store was larger and needed a physical presence, we worked closely with Gary and his team to express the Hatch brand in every aspect of the architecture and interiors—all in service of the customer experience. Everything including the material palette, signage, window film design, custom displays, furnishings and fixtures is cohesive with the brand. We are relentless in our execution process, often mocking up spaces, casework and other elements—this is the level of attention and commitment we have to the brand and project success.
Photography Credit: Sarah Zelman, Senior Marketing Manager at Hatch
HOW DOES THE OVERALL DESIGN CATER TO WHAT TODAY’S CONSUMERS WANT? Dwayne MacEwen: We designed Hatch to be more than just retail; we wanted the high-touch service that the brand is known for to really shine through an engaging, high-design setting. The resulting space facilitates quick sales, browsing, consulting, education and events with approachable luxury, personal care and wellbeing at the center of the shopping experience.
WHAT KIND OF ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO CATER TO HOW CUSTOMERS SHOP TODAY? Dwayne MacEwen: Since the onset of the pandemic, when much of retail shopping moved to online ordering, we began to rethink the pick-up experience. For restaurants, it is typically a combination of DoorDash-types of service, as well as customers coming inside to pick up their meals. Unlike our restaurant clients, delivery service is not an option for dispensaries in a highly regulated environment. Customers must come into the store to pick up their orders. Retailers have just a few minutes to make an impression and get customers to connect with the brand. As designers of hospitality spaces, we believe the quick sales experience cannot be an afterthought—it has to be an integral part of retail design.
WHAT MAKES YOUR DESIGN ENGAGING TO TODAY’S CANNABIS CUSTOMER? Dwayne MacEwen: Online retailers have essentially become logistics companies. Convenient? Yes. Memorable? Not exactly. We wanted Hatch to challenge that norm by providing an experience that is personal, memorable, and captures shared values––which is exactly what the retail landscape needs to compete in an increasingly digital marketplace. As a result, Hatch was configured and designed with an immersive hospitality focus from the inside-out. We also introduced a hybridized layout that would allow the space to be multifunctional, most notably through the inclusion of a living room-style lounge space. We outfitted this small niche with comfortable club seating, TV and an area rug—all easily reconfigurable for private consultations, larger demonstrations, employee training, educational events and programs.
WALK US THROUGH THE DESIGNED STRATEGY. Dwayne MacEwen: For this location, we were tasked with transforming a 5,800-square-foot suburban shopping center outparcel––which used to be a former freestanding restaurant––into a one-of-a-kind dispensary experience. On top of the challenge that the renovation itself posed, this project was fast tracked to meet a state licensing deadline for adult dispensary operators. In four short months, we had permits in hand, completed construction and were ready to open the doors, all while working under pandemic protocols. Since we recently completed the prototype Hatch in Addison, we were able to quickly tailor the Wheeling design to a bigger space with an expanded program. Given the nature of the site and the existing building, we knew that the customer experience had to begin curbside. We employed a strategic envelope intervention approach that introduces the brand in a natural facade of variegated cedar wood cladding contrasted with flat-black walls to create a backdrop for a prominent store front. Existing windows were framed in black and covered in a custom leaf-pattern vinyl film in branded colors with the multipurpose of filtering natural light, giving clients privacy, and meeting state regulations for dispensaries. Once inside, cedar-clad walls and translucent glazing are the backdrop of the interior space for a warm and inviting feel. To carry that warmth through the open layout, our lighting strategy for Hatch was varied and specific. The retail space is lit with subtle fixtures fading into the black ceiling, keeping the primary focus on accent lighting for the products themselves. In the lounge, however, the space features elegant pendant Edison lamps that visually welcome guests and signal a mood of comfortable luxury. The design also takes advantage of large windows with a custom
translucent film, filtering natural light in both the retail and lounge spaces.
GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF THE LAYOUT. Dwayne MacEwen: We wanted the entire experience to be as intuitive and seamless as possible, so the layout is reflective of that intention. At entry, customers can easily navigate the open space curated into three program areas: shopping, sales and multipurpose functions. The sales counter is located near the entry for fast online order pick-ups. The main retail space features long custom casework arranged in rows with generous circulation on both sides, and each illuminated to highlight products artfully displayed under glass. The existing building configuration allowed us to offset the hospitality-style lounge area to serve as a multipurpose space. Still visible from the entry, it is strategic positioning has a “tucked away” feel for private consultations, training, demonstrations or small events. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST ISSUE RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THE BUSINESS? Dwayne MacEwen: Everyone is experiencing supply chain problems. Construction is arguably worse off than other industries, because everything has to be timed perfectly. You cannot install a display case if the flooring tiles are back ordered. For fast-track construction projects, this means evaluating products that are in stock and ready to go, yet also ensuring the design itself is not sacrificed in the process. For Hatch and its particularly expedited timeline, this was something we were very mindful of. Ultimately, we did specify some furniture pieces that were not readily available––the one aspect of the project we waited on––as there was not a substitute product in-stock we felt was of equal quality and impact. In this instance, waiting on the furniture fortunately did not affect our ability to open on time. What type of areas do you seek when seeking store locations? Gary Leff: We look for traditional retails sites that have the typical characteristics of a strong location for any other type of frequent use retail. That means high density, strong demographics; high traffic; strong presence, visibility; easy access; and good co-tenancy with high frequency complementary uses such as grocery stores. Now that cannabis is becoming more mainstream, communities and landlords are happy to put us in their best real estate, as they recognize cannabis is a strong traffic generator that is complementary to other uses in their developments.
WHAT’S YOUR SHORT-TERM STRATEGY? LONG-TERM? Gary Leff: Short-term, we’re looking to introduce as many people to the Hatch experience as possible, as we believe the experience we offer is far superior to most other dispensary experiences in the marketplace. This means getting the word out to both experienced cannabis users as
well as the “canna-curious,” i.e., those who either have never tried cannabis or have not reengaged with cannabis since their youth. We strongly believe if we can get people to shop with us just once, they will turn into loyal customers as we provide an experience where all kinds of shoppers can comfortably explore and shop for cannabis without feeling the rush and pressure of all that accompanies most other dispensary experiences that are predominantly transaction oriented. Long-term, we’re focused on acquiring more licenses so that we can introduce more consumers to the Hatch experience.
WHAT TYPE OF CONSUMERS ARE YOU TARGETING? Gary Leff: We’re not targeting a specific demographic or user. Rather, we’re focused on consumers who value the experience and are not just looking for the cheapest price. So, for us, that means customers who value our warm and welcoming environment, our friendly and knowledgeable staff, our amazing product selection and our ability to transact quickly for those that are in a hurry. We want to cultivate loyal guests we can establish long term, trusted relationships with and act as their personal concierge for their cannabis experiences, whatever their needs may be.
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER TO OTHER BRANDS RIGHT NOW? Gary Leff: I think it is critically important to define your long-term vision for the guest experience from the outset and stay authentic to that vision by making the necessary investments despite the temptation to cut corners and go for easy wins. This requires enormous focus, patience and discipline, but in the long run will pay off in spades.
WHAT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU SEE MOVING AHEAD? Gary Leff: We’re excited about all the innovative products being introduced into the marketplace, which will continue to make cannabis more accessible and attractive to a growing audience of users.
We work extremely hard day in and day out to ensure we are consistently offering the same great experience to every guest that walks through our door.
— Gary Leff, President, Hatch Dispensary
For example, over the last year, several cultivators have introduced sleep-specific products, many containing the cannabinoid CBG which was not available. These products appeal to a large segment of consumers, many of whom are older, who are looking for better sleep quality without any of the psychoactive effects. Additionally, once COVID is under control, or hopefully gone, we’re excited to launch our events space where we will regularly engage with the community on all kinds of informative educational events in a relaxing setting and share our extensive knowledge and passion for cannabis with the community at large.
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU EXPECTING? Gary Leff: We expect to continue to see cannabis come out of the shadows and evolve into a traditional, experiential shopping experience like what has happened in retail and restaurants over the past couple decades. Additionally, we expect to see more consumers engage with cannabis as the stigma around consumption continues to wane, consumption becomes more
normalized, and products become more user friendly and acceptable.
WHAT MAKES YOUR BRAND SO UNIQUE? Gary Leff: The fact that we’re independently owned without any vertical integration allows us to be solely focused and invest heavily on delivering the best dispensary shopping experience, period. Our independence means we are not forced to push any of our own products, but rather carrying a broad selection of the best products in the marketplace that most effectively meet the myriad needs of our diverse customer base. Additionally, we are not distracted by the complexity of running a cultivation or processing facility or the capital necessary to do so, and we can put all of our energy and passion into delivering the best damn dispensary shopping experience in the marketplace, and continue to make the necessary investments to stay ahead of the curve.
WHAT’S TODAY’S CONSUMER LOOKING FOR? Dwayne MacEwen: Today’s tech-savvy consumers expect more from brands. As architects and designers, I think the question is, “How do we design for an immersive shopping experience that gives people a compelling reason to leave their couches and online carts?” After a year’s worth of pent up demand to get out of the house, to connect with family and friends, shop in person, travel, dine inside a restaurant, go to a concert, and much more, designers should want to welcome and excite people when they actually go out. Our sense of the world has changed indelibly since the pandemic, and we are thinking about the potential of a new retail experience that combines any of these shared social activities. What if food-and-beverage (F&B) spaces became the new influencer for retail products? What if event architecture integrated dynamic merchandising? The solutions lie somewhere in a hybrid of retail, F&B and entertainment. Hatch brings many of those dynamics together.
Gary Leff: We believe today’s consumer is looking for an authentic experience where they can build a long-term loyal relationship they trust and feel good about. While they may be able to find a product on sale for a better price elsewhere, we think many consumers want to shop somewhere they believe has their best long-term interests at heart. They want to continue to make the necessary investments that deliver that experience on a day-in and day-out basis.
Furthermore, we do not believe every consumer is looking for the same thing. Some are looking to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible, whereas others want to take their time and browse on their own. Others may want to spend 15-20 minutes with one of our knowledgeable budtenders to learn about cannabis and find the best products for their specific need(s). We’ve designed our experience so that we can cater to meet the specific needs for all these different groups by being sensitive to what’s important to them and then delivering on that.
TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Dwayne MacEwen: In every project, we look for opportunities to be sustainable. Sometimes that is driven by the client who wants LEED certification, but there are many other ways in which we design sustainably. We seek vendors who offer more options in the high-end durable green product market at a similar or better price point. Another way we add value to a design is by upcycling used materials for impact, cost savings and less waste that would otherwise go into landfill. Internally, our office is reducing our own footprint by going paperless, recycling, taking public transportation, replacing windows with insulated low E glass, and installing an energy efficient HVAC system.”
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO CREATING A “MUST VISIT” LOCATION TODAY’S? Dwayne MacEwen: Because we are a hospitality driven firm, we are designing immersive hybrid spaces like Hatch to be more than just a retail store. It is designed for an elevated guest experience as well as for streamlined quick pick-up convenience. It is a training ground where mentors and students work together. It has bright open space for demonstrations and educational programming. It is a relaxing lounge with comfortable seating for consultations. The shopping experience becomes more about the personal connection to the customer than simply showcasing products.
Gary Leff: There is no silver bullet. First, you must create a welcoming environment that people want to spend time in, and offer enough interesting experiential elements for customers to explore to keep them engaged on an ongoing basis. But this alone is not enough. The actual shopping experience must deliver on the expectation that is set by the great ambience, meaning amazing friendly and knowledgeable service, a broad product selection, and fair prices. We work extremely hard day in and day out to ensure we are consistently offering the same great experience to every guest that walks through our door. Customers are smart and finicky and will choose to shop elsewhere if we don’t deliver on their expectations.
