Dedalus Wine Shop

Dedalus started out as a small back-room wine shop and has since built up an impressive collection of indie wines from all over the world.  They quickly outgrew their original shop and were looking for opportunities to expand their offerings. After months of searching, they finally found a new home on Pine Street in Burlington, Vermont.  For this new space that was almost six times as large as their old store, Dedalus wanted to maintain their brand authenticity and their ability to connect with customers.  Our design not only preserved their identity, but also preserved the character of the 1800’s factory building that now houses their retail shop and wine bar. We focused on highlighting the history of the building by preserving the natural beauty of the original elements.  We then carefully introduced modern and luxurious pieces to elevate the factory feel. The elegant pairing of old and new, classic and modern, reflects the elements of a fine wine tasting. The subtle way that the aesthetics of the physical space reflect the customer experience gives a holistic feeling to make it more memorable and engaging.

We wanted to avoid monotony by creating displays that were interesting, but also easy for customers to navigate. We made visual distinctions to group wines logically and cohesively for a controlled, intuitive flow of traffic throughout the space. The dominant organizing features of the room are the custom wine storage tables. The tops are comprised of eight individual boxes, and two tables can be placed together for sixteen total compartments that facilitate easy arrangement by country, and further categorization by wine type. The steel bases of the tables were custom designed for extra storage that is aesthetically pleasing, but subtle so not to compete with the wine bottles on display.  The legs were also made adjustable and placed on rollers to accommodate for the uneven floors of the old factory.

Smaller wine categories were opportunities to display wine in different, beautiful ways. The live-edge slab ledge that runs all along the entry corridor is striking and draws visitors into the shop. The antique wine boxes on the opposite wall neatly organize under-$20 bottles for customers shopping on a budget.  The special category shelves against a brick wall is a simple solution, but it highlights the harmony between traditional and modern that is carried throughout the space. And the wooden pegs that hold bottles horizontally on the wall break up the vertical monotony.

The character of the original space inspired much of our design, and we’re proud of the way we successfully captured Dedalus’s identity in the blending of old and new elements. We went beyond just designing a space and truly helped define a unique experience for Dedalus’ customers. ∆