Bloommiami Brings First Johnnie Walker store to the U.S.

Bloommiami is taking the airport shopping experience to the next level for all Miami International Airport travelers. The retail-focused design agency served as design consultants, fabricators and project managers of the first full Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky store in the United States for Diageo Global Travel, the leader in beverage alcohol in Travel Retail. Bloommiami incorporated stretch fabric ceiling canopies, edge lighted shelves and backlighted product glorification pads to create a museum-like environment. The permanent store is located at Miami International Airport.

The airport experience has evolved over the years in an attempt to ease the tribulations associated with air travel. Airports are no longer defined by fast-food restaurants and duty-free shops; they have become something more akin to shopping malls, with luxury retail stores and expensive, sit-down restaurants.

Exhibit A: The first Johnnie Walker store in the U.S. recently opened in Miami International Airport’s North Terminal. In addition to purchasing Johnnie Walker products, the 1,145-sf store creates a museum-like experience for customers to learn more about the brand.

“The design immerses customers in the history, provenance, and pioneering spirit of the Johnnie Walker brand,” says Darin Held, Partner at Bloommiami, the firm that served as design consultants, fabricators and project managers for the store.

At the tasting bar, guests can sample various whiskeys and use iPads that provide additional information about Johnnie Walker products. Also working to create a museum-like ambiance was the lighting, which includes stretch fabric ceiling canopies, edge lighted shelves and backlighted product glorification pads.

Other design features include a Johnnie Walker Striding Man Statue, large wall-to-wall light box with images inspired by Miami, museum-style images depicting the history of Johnnie Walker, an engraving station where customers can personalize bottles, intricate floor work that took 56 hours to install, and a single malts library display wall designed to mimic a mixer’s lab.

To see photos, visit Building Design + Construction.