IMG Emporium provides guests with the ultimate shopping experience at IMG Worlds of Adventure.
Client: IMG Group
Services: Master Planning, Art Direction, Themed Retail & Restaurants, Project Management, Creative Guardian
Location: Dubai, U.A.E.
When Falcon’s Creative Group signed on to master plan the entire IMG Worlds of Adventure theme park in Dubai, the designers knew that retail spaces would be much more than an afterthought. In fact, the same level of detail and inspirational creativity went into every single one of the stores as the world-class attractions and dining establishments. But one store, in particular, would hold a position at the top of the food chain – IMG Emporium, located on IMG Boulevard.
IMG Boulevard is the central hub of the 1.5 million square-foot entertainment destination. It’s the zone that ties all the others together, so it has to reflect a certain measure of cohesion. IMG Emporium, by far the largest store in the enormous indoor complex, is a perfect example of this united approach. It combines the fundamental design principles of the whole theme park with essential elements that reside inside a massive retail store that has to clearly represent all of the zones. In simple terms, IMG Emporium has to be the orderly sum of all the parts.
IMG Emporium Store Elevation
At 12,000 square feet, IMG Emporium is roughly five times bigger than the average convenience store. This impressive one-stop-shop features the largest selection of IMG Worlds of Adventure merchandise as well as an assortment of top-selling items from each of the other three zones. Before leaving the park, guests can spend as much time as they want perusing the apparel, mugs, hats, stuffed animals, posters, figurines, and many other souvenirs. Guests can also pick up any large items they purchased at other retail spots in Marvel Zone, The Lost Valley, or the Cartoon Network Zone during their day of excitement.
Falcon’s Treehouse drew up the initial concept and took those designs all the way through the construction documentation phase, so every detail was developed by the Orlando, Florida-based creative firm. In addition, the themed entertainment company ensured a seamless IP approval process by leading the art direction and overseeing all the work onsite for this turnkey design effort.
Designers who worked on the flagship store’s layout made it a point to implement certain features, such as wide aisles that would afford shoppers plenty of comfortable space and modular displays that would grant flexibility to the store’s managers. Incorporated into the middle of the store is a designated area that’s used for promotional displays, such as a giant T. rex who stares menacingly at one of the POS stations, as if examining everyone’s purchases. Don’t worry, though, he won’t bite.
IMG Emporium has the look and feel of a high-end retail store. It’s polished and sleek and utilizes lighting in strategic ways in order to create a warm and inviting environment. This stylish project fully embraces contemporary retail design conventions. If a best-in-universe award existed for such shops, we know who’d earn the distinction.
