Tk Maxx. Southend On Sea.

What a dramatic change compered with before Christmas.

There are less fixtures as you first enter the shop, making it easier to move around, as well as less tables with products piled on. This is posible due to low stock, but still it looks so much more pleasant.
This visit was mid day so the glass atrium was doing its job of allowing maximum light into the store.
Despite being so much tidier, it is still laking an impact or focal point as you enter.

The lower floor is home to mens shoes and home. The lay out here rearly changes, the shoes are organised by sized and reasonably tidy. If you enter the store on this floor, the first thing that you see is the wall at the bottom of the escalators which is a main focal point but unforchantly has not yet been used to its full potential.

Visited 18th January 2015

Tk Maxx. Royals shopping centre. Southend on sea.

The Royals Shopping Centre sits on the of the Ritz and the Royal Pier Hotel which were demolisher in 1981 But it was not until 1985 that the construction on The Royals shopping centre, which opened in November 1988 began. It became home to over 30 shops. When it opened Debenhams Littlewoods and Boots were its anchor store, now it is the home to other big stores such as Primark and TKMaxx, as well as Boots and Debenhams.
The centre was built with a food court, that housed nine different eateries with seating for 400 people. The food court had a raised circular central pedestal that sat surrounded by water with two bridges to enable access to the no smoking area.  The area above the Food Court had an ovoid shaped balcony lined with ten small retail units these were set aside for small independent local retailers. 
However during a down turn in the retail trade many of the shops had closed, the food court had also seen a down turn in residency with many of its units standing empty, it was decided to close the entire food court and begin a rebuilding of the area, the balcony overlooking the old food court was covered over creating an a two floor retail space, taken over by TK Maxx.

TK Maxx, designer labels at discount cost.
Like most discount stores you  have to expect a degree of clutter and here is no exception. It is a 50, 50 that the shop will be well presented or not. 
As you approach the store from the inside of the shopping centre you are greater by a large, partly open front shop with two large windows either side, which were partly covered by graphics.
Due to the Christmas season as you walk in to the shop you are greeted by party wear  and winter coats along with shelfs with gift sets. May be to many fixtures as it is difficult to move in to the shop. 
The clothing in mens and ladies departments are soughed in to product, Dresses, trousers tops, then by size, shoes by size. Bags and purses are soughed by colour along with scarves. It was around 5 when visiting the store, it was obviously well shopped  with items falling off hangers and in the wrong place.  the ground floor has christmas food such as chocolates, bisects and sweets lining the queuing system to the till, well stockaded and placed.
Considering there was hardly any staff on the shop floor it was more respectable then i have seen it.

Room for improvement.
The centre was designed with an Edwardian look, the central glazed dome acted as a focal point, with the main walkways featuring glazed barrel vaulted roofs, giving the permitting the maximum amount of natural daylight into the centre. On of which was the roof of the food court, now TK Maxx.
This unfortunately dose not work that well in the winter with in the store as below the roof are the escalators, even thought the store is well lit as the nights draw in so dose a darkness within the store. 
With a little bit of engineering, spot lights running around the edge of the vaulted roof or beams across the bass withe lights on would enhance the lighting not just on the ground floor but on the lower ground.
Or even chandeliers, it has a high glass roof which means as long as you get the right design it would stunning. 

Clear the entrance, the space at the front of the store needs to be more open. As the ceilings in the store a high, they could create a large dramatic entrance. A steps pyramid display with either a mannequin groups at the top or at this time of the year a tree, the steps would then serve as space to merchandiser the gift box, making more floor space for the clothes that were blocking the entrance.

It may be a discount fashion store but it can quite easily be given a high end look. with mannequins, high-level visuals and even hanging displays.