Yuppiechef

Leading online retailer Yuppiechef opened their first official physical store in Cape Town in October 2017. The new store, designed by ARRCC, opened at the Willowbridge Shopping Centre in Tyger Valley. Speaking on the store design, ARRCC Director Jon Case says that the brief was exciting yet challenging at the same time. “Yuppiechef asked us to take a brand that has flourished in a digital space for 11 years and bring it to life in the physical sense. Most brands undertake this process in the opposite direction, so the brief was relatively unique.”

Case says that the store has a warm feel with natural timbers and smoky undertones. “The materials are raw in nature and create a perfect balance between luxury and an industrial edge. The store was designed to be approachable yet allowing the products to stand out.” The design also boasts a functional test kitchen as well as a ‘genius bar’ where consumers can connect with the online store and continue their shopping experience, select an address for delivery or update their Yuppiechef profiles. Customers can also set up a wedding registry in-store, subscribe to a monthly food, craft beer or wine subscription or have a gift beautifully wrapped with Yuppiechef style.

According to Yuppiechef, the team spent an inordinate amount of time considering how to design the consumer experience in the physical store so that there is a seamless transition from the digital outlet. “Curating the experience between our two channels was critically important in the planning process and our intention is that we will pioneer this thinking in South African retail with the launch of the new outlets.”