Summary

The article discusses the significance of water features in enhancing the retail experience and creating a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere.

Abstract

The author shares a personal journey, from a childhood memory of water fountains in Heidelberg, Germany, to a career as a stone mason and fountain builder, emphasizing the transformative power of water in retail spaces. The narrative highlights the importance of balancing natural elements, such as water, to create a retail environment with strong "mojo" or positive energy, which is believed to be crucial for attracting customers and ensuring the success of a retail business. The article suggests that the presence of flowing water can elevate the shopping experience by providing a calming effect, reducing stress, and bringing a piece of nature indoors, ultimately contributing to the overall vibration and financial flow of the establishment.

Opinions

The author believes that water features, such as fountains, can significantly enhance the retail experience by adding a natural and calming element to the space.
There is a strong emphasis on the importance of feng shui and the balance of elements in a retail setting to create a space that resonates with positive energy or "mojo."
The author suggests that the aesthetic and acoustic aspects of water features (like the sound of trickling water) can help to slow down the customers' thought processes, making the shopping experience more enjoyable and potentially increasing sales.
The article conveys the opinion that retail spaces should strive to create a "portal" that draws customers in, with water features being a key component in achieving this flow of people and cash flow.
The author reflects on their own experience, regretting not incorporating a waterfall into their bookstore, which underscores the personal conviction that water elements are a missed opportunity for enhancing retail environments.
The importance of utilizing all senses in retail design is highlighted, with the example of a crystal shop benefiting from the combined effect of crystals and a water fountain to intensify the overall vibration of the space.

The Importance of Water in Retail

More advice on creating a magical retail experience

The very first memory I have in this current life happened when I was either 3 or 4 years old. The memory was of water fountains. I was staring at an array of water fountains in a city park in Heidelberg, Germany. That is where I was living at that very young age.

At the troubling age of 14 — a decade later — I had the supreme privilege of spending an entire summer vacation in Europe. While I was in Heidelberg at that time I told my maternal grandfather about my very clear memory of those water fountains. I asked him if he knew what park that may have been in and, if so, could he take me there?

So at the ripe old age of 14 I stood there with my grandfather staring at the exact same water fountains I stared at when I was 3 or 4.

It was an experience that was very mystical for me. It was like some veil had suddenly lifted.

A few decades ago, back when I was tanned and buff and young, I worked for several years as a stone mason. My partner and I referred to ourselves as the ‘stoned masons.’ But we never said that publicly.

After I split up with my business partner and teacher and mentor and went rogue — becoming my own independent contractor — I started to get requests from my clients that overwhelmingly came to be about outdoor water fountains.

I had never built one but why would that stop me?

So I started building outdoor water fountains for people. They all paid top dollar for something that I had only a few weeks before learned how to do.

But I took what I learned and pushed the envelope with it. I opened up my heart and my imagination and got intensely creative. I quickly realized that this was something that I thoroughly loved to do.

I did it for a few years before I quit the profession to enter a very different terrain.

And you know, during those years that I was building outdoor water fountains for people I never once built one for myself! How wrong is that?

If you are going to open up a joyful retail establishment you’ve first got to feng shui the location, right? Right?

Are all the elements represented? Air? Water? Land? Wind? Wood? Fire? Good views?

Feel the mojo. Does the space resonate with naturally intense mojo? Mojo can always be added to a space but it really helps if the place is already resonating with it.

Feel the energy of the space. How do you want to change it? How can you create a balance of elements?

How can you tear through the veils?

How can you create a portal?

That is what every wannabe retail entrepreneur must ask themselves. If there is no portal there is no flow and if there is no flow… there is no cash flow.

It’s all about vibrations. Seriously, it really is — at least in the world of retail. I suspect this may be true in all worldly and local matters.

How do we utilize the senses and the elements and the natural forces of nature to create something that enhances life and people’s experience of it?

Isn’t this what we are all trying to figure out?

We want to turn people on.

I once had a dear friend who ran a crystal shop in the same town high up in the Colorado Rockies where I had my bookstore. I loved going into his shop. The vibes were outrageous. I relaxed the instant I walked into his shop.

The crystals — and he had some extraordinary ones — obviously helped intensify the overall vibration of the shop. And my friend’s personal vibrations also intensified the overall vibration one was smacked with upon entering the shop.

But there were the other senses…

My crystal shop friend had a small water fountain in the middle of his store. I had noticed it before and, as a past stone mason I was not impressed. It was crudely built with little inspiration. I could have built one with 50 times as much creativity and mojo.

But all those design scenarios did not matter as much as the sound and feel of a water fountain! The trickling of water creates a shift in vibration. It’s relaxing and soothing and it seems to slow down the thinking loops going incessantly in the old noggin. It brings nature indoors.

I was a real waterfall freak back when I lived in the mountains. I had to visit and commune with every waterfall I could find. I have spent countless hours sitting next to waterfalls taking in their beauty and power.

What I can’t believe is that I never built a waterfall for my book shop. Seriously, what the hell was I thinking?

Anyway, I strongly suggest adding flowing water to any retail space. It goes a long, long way in creating an intense mojo within that space.

Watch for my next Retail Mojo article on the importance of chi. Here is the first article in my series on Retail Mojo:

Olfactory Marketing

(It has nothing to do with factories.)

medium.com