A state-of-the-art INTERSPAR Hypermarket is operating in the centre of Terlizzi, a town in the southern Italian province of Bari. Developed by SPAR Italy Partner, Maiora, together with SPAR International’s Store Design team, in this feature we take a look at all that is involved in creating a hypermarket of this standard.

The new 2,460 m² INTERSPAR provides an excellent shopping experience with a broad product assortment and many instore services. The elegant fixtures and finishings give this eye-catcher of a hypermarket a truly premium feel.

To gain insight into the details of this large store development project, we spoke to Richard Brace of SPAR International who heads up the 3D Store Design team. The team was involved from start to finish and the end result is a truly fantastic achievement.

How long did this project take to complete? 

We began work on the project in July 2015, after doing an initial site visit when it was simply an empty plot of land. At this point, Maiora already had the basic architecture sketched out. We put together plans for the store interior and made some initial suggestions for improving the operational efficiency of the building. Maiora then invited SPAR International to put forward some recommendations for the exterior look and feel. The designs were well received, reaffirming Maiora’s confidence in asking for SPAR International’s support with the design of this flagship store. From start to finish, the project took nearly three years to complete.

What was the team’s main contribution? 

In a nutshell, we were responsible for the overall look and feel of the new INTERSPAR Hypermarket. We had to come up with a brand-new store design concept and refine the key elements of the space from the interior finishings and layout to the exterior design and parking lot.

What were the biggest challenges?

A number of architectural and design challenges had to be resolved as well as clarifying the critical elements of not just the hypermarket, but the site as a whole. The biggest challenge though was to create an exciting and innovative design that would meet the expectations of the partner and be within budget.

What was the most rewarding part of this project?

Creating a design that both worked within the budget and perfectly suited the market in Bari. The collaborative process with our colleagues from Maiora was a real pleasure and it was rewarding to see how much they appreciated what was achieved.

Which part of the store are you most proud of?

For me personally, it was introducing SPAR Natural as a stand-alone instore department and creating a really effective product offering that helps drive the strong SPAR value proposition that Maiora has.

Another highlight of the new hypermarket is the Home Meal Replacement Deli department, which offers a large choice of foods prepared freshly instore and merchandised alongside high-quality products sourced from local and regional suppliers. I’ve been told that customers have reacted very positively to both this and the Fresh Fish section.

This feature was first published in Issue 3 2018 of our quarterly magazine, Contact International.

To read more stories from this edition, follow this link.