Client
Boba Tea Company
This 645 SF project was not Wilson & Company’s largest, but it is one of our most public projects. The retail store is located in the Chandler Fashion Center Mall and sits prominently facing the food court at the corner of two main retail corridors.
The corner location and small size presented many challenges:
- Working with a public front on two sides
- Hiding the back of house elements
- Working within the mall design guidelines
- Integrating the mall structure into the main entry
Boba Tea’s Owners created a brand and marketing campaign that begins with a clean streamlined production process that carries through everything they do. From materials to project delivery, the design concept priority was to be clean and timeless. This meant the design would have to perform on many different levels to work for both employees and customers.
The design team worked closely with the Owners and their staff to streamline the back-of house-activities. Boba Tea’s product is comprised of various powdered flavors combined with tapioca to create unique tea-based drinks. Wilson & Company helped invent an illuminated hanging powder rack system that screens production from customer view. The 7 foot tall by 5 foot wide illuminated element, nicknamed “the chandelier,” became the centerpiece of the store, and is surrounded by stainless steel casework, epoxy flooring, and ceramic tile walls to keep the work area easily maintained and sanitary. White tile is sprinkled with glass-colored tiles to add visual excitement as the walls pull forward and frame the main public front.
The balanced public side is an expression of the clean corporate image of Boba Tea. A problematic structural column at the main public front restricted space. Instead of being an obstacle, it became the focal point and primary design feature. The column is wrapped in three single sheets of ¾” laminated glass that are 8 feet wide and 16 feet tall. The logo was incorporated into the frosted glass and the entire element is backlit with LED light panels to create a glowing centerpiece.
The exterior retail space is wrapped in black metal panels so the interior becomes an inviting cascade of color and light. A black solid surface serving counter sets off the illuminated frosted glass front, and is framed by 7 foot tall flat screen monitors. The composition is tied together with a custom colored terrazzo floor that includes mirror chips that sets the space apart from the surrounding mall.
This store shows how design can be used to express a retail strategy that results in a unique, attractive environment.