TravelFest No. 1

Alamo Architects developed the prototype store design for a startup chain of travel superstores, TravelFest. The revolutionary retail concept expanded upon creator Gary Hoover’s earlier success in establishing BookStop, a chain of book superstores. TravelFest presented an immersive travel experience, featuring a comprehensive selection of travel guides, language instruction courses, luggage and travel items. TravelFest sought to define a new retail category.

The airport-like atmosphere, with “departure gates” to intriguing areas of the world, amped up the shopping experience by playing on the fun and anticipation of a great trip about to begin. Airport dollies covered with merchandise enlivened the sales floor. Huge, illuminated photos of travel destinations beckoned over shopping aisles. Airline and cruise ticketing was done in-store, at an airport-style counter shaped like an aircraft wing, which housed a full service travel bureau.

Although the TravelFest concept and stores were well executed, widely promoted and popular with customers, changes in air travel commission programs coupled with the advent of broadband internet availability and easy-to-use online ticketing conspired to make TravelFest’s flight a short one, closing shortly after take-off of Store 2. Nevertheless, the lessons learned in managing the complexity of creating visually impactful, yet highly functional retail stores will inform our work going forward.

Client> Travel Fest SuperStores, Inc
Construction Cost> DND
Completion> July 1994