With over 75 stores and representing over 25 brands, The Sting has certainly made its mark. In addition to over 70 stores in its home country of The Netherlands, the company also has a store in Antwerp in Belgium, with a second store opening in Hasselt in April, and five stores in Germany – in Dresden, Frankfurt, Duisburg, Giessen and Hildesheim, and with a new opening scheduled in Oldenburg in October.
The Sting is also nearing completion on its new UK flagship store at 55 Regent Street, which is scheduled to open to the public in July. The 33,875sq ft, three-storey store is located in the famous former Tower Records store at the corner of Regent Street and Piccadilly, which is owned by Crown Estates and has remained vacant since the collapse of previous tenant, Zavvi.
We want to make London a success, that’s absolutely essential. It is an honour for The Sting that we have had the opportunity of opening a flagship store in such an iconic location – who wouldn’t be proud?” he says.
The London store follows hot on the heels, in experiential terms, of the company’s current flagship store at The Hague. Set in a truly unique and very special building, designed by the British architect, John Outram, this store also features a café for shoppers to enjoy a coffee and a sandwich, something that has not been replicated in any other Sting store.
A lot of effort has been put into finding the right locations, the interior design and of course the collection of brands offered, and it is the combination of these factors that make a visit to The Sting a true shopping experience.
“They are great places to spend some time,” says Van Muiswinkel. “We pay a lot of attention to the in-store music and we show clips on big video walls, including our own films and the sort of funny clips that the youngsters watch on YouTube.”
There is a lot to experience and this combination of sights and sounds makes for a very unique experience. Of course, you can build the most amazing store but it counts for nothing if the merchandise you are selling is not up to the highest standards. The Sting ensures that its quality and price are the ideal fit for its customers’ desires.
For the full article, please see the April 2010 issue.
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