Set in the picture-perfect village of Greytown, Blackwell & Sons have successfully captured a niche market. The store delivers a tailored sensory experience and the industrial workshop provides a traditional setting from a bygone era. Offering boutique cycle accessories/apparel, it is also the exclusive authorised supplier of British manufactured Pashley cycles. The store boasting authentic aged brick has been described glowingly as “one of the most beautiful cycle stores in the world”.

The store design was an instrumental element to create a customer experience like no other. The design was built around sophistication, quality and a solid reputation. The brief for Mackit Architecture was to create a feeling of defined spaces within an open area whilst paying homage to the original character of the 1880’s building. That’s where aged brick played a large part. Another challenge for the architects was limitations placed on the heritage protected site.

Dusty aged brick, dark mahogany-look wood and brass/copper metals inspired the material selections with track and spotlighting highlighting merchandise. The Muros Burnt Red Loft Brick wall panel design was chosen to accentuate its true English origins and installed on a number of wall spaces throughout.

The wall panel offers authentic old England aged brickworks complete with nicks, chips, cracks and elements of natural wear and ageing found in established brick walls. Furthermore, rows of bricks in the veneer panel alternate between full bricks and half bricks, adding variation and originality. The result is a unique retail space setting the hand-built designer cycles and their experienced craftsman apart as a world-class retail experience.

From an advertising background, the Blackwell owners’ story is based on the belief that the best businesses are those that offer us something we have an emotional response to. Less of what does this product or service does, more of how it makes us feel.

Not surprising, Blackwell & Sons Cycles was a National Winner in the Commercial Interior category of the 2019 ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards. The Blackwell & Sons unique retail space creates just that emotional connection, drawing thousands in every year to its destination gallery-style store.

Muros is proud to contribute to the quality Blackwell & Sons brand and customer experience.