442 Design completes final stage of Historic Scotland Stirling Castle shop
442 Design has completed the redesign of a third new gift shop at Stirling Castle, concluding the final stage of a Historic Scotland contract to redesign the retail experience at the flagship heritage attraction.
Three new Gift Shops have now opened as part of the Palace project, with the aim of boosting revenues for the historic site.
The redesign complements a £12m refurbishment by Historic Scotland, to return James V’s palace to the way it might have looked in the mid-16th century.
Edinburgh based 442 Design worked to the brief of creating a retail offer which helps underpin the visitor experience of ‘walking through history’, with each of the three shops (Palace Gift Shop, the Courtyard Gift Shop, and the Clan & Craft Gift Shop) offering distinct ranges and pricing levels intended to present a wide choice and speak to an international audience.
The Courtyard Gift Shop has the vibrant, open feel of a renaissance castle market, with affordable impulse buys such as soaps and shortbread displayed throughout in a range of merchandising styles.
The Palace Gift Shop has an ornate, luxurious look and feel offering a boutique style experience. With its refined decor, inspired by the Palace interiors, framed cabinets and rich colour palette, it offers high end purchases including cashmere, jewellery and specialist whiskies.
The Clan & Craft Gift shop has a different tone of warmth and character, offering heritage and clan ancestry related purchases.
David Dunn, Managing Director of 442 Design, (pictured) said: “The Stirling Castle retail project has been a fascinating creative and commercial challenge for our team. Working on the principle of reviving renaissance history, we aim to extend the fantastic visitor experience of the Palace to the retail offering, and make it work in a commercial context.”