the art store

Reaksmey Thim
Holly Pappas
Eng101
March 28, 2011


The Art Store

Riverside Art is an Art supply store in Somerset, but they also provide picture frames. It seems the store is combined with a framing company, I really don’t know much detail about the framing store. From the ideas of “science of shopping”, the store relates to Paco’s Underhill understanding and studies of customers and how the store is set up a specific way, which keeps the shoppers entertained, more or less interested.
As I walk in through the door the first objects that stand out are the picture frames. The frames come in different sizes, small ones to large ones. They also differ in shapes, which include circular ones, rectangular ones and even triangular, each frames that shown from the wall to the window, held a portrait of either a drawing or painting. The portraits within the frames, where amazing and beautiful, with much detail and the lines where flowing like the ocean.
Then there are steps, which lead to a different room. The room was filled with art supplies. It contains lots of utensils an artist would use. The room had three aisles, which separated the items in the store. The right side of the wall held portfolio cases and different styles of poster boards like a black foam core. On the first set of aisle held a spinning container, which carried colored markers and a white board to try them on. On the other side, held books that teach a person how to draw. The next aisle had specific type of drawing pencils; 2b, 3b, 4b, and even 8b. It also had charcoal sticks.
As I walk around the corner there are tools for measuring and cutting. The wall held rulers, exactor knives, box cutters and re-fill blades. The backside of aisle two held the different paints an artist would need, for example red and blue paint tubes. On the opposite side had sketchpads being 24 by 36 and 13 by 25. On the last set of aisle, I noticed they had an over abundance of colored pastels and pencils. The front desk had several crates, which had pins, eraser, sharpeners, etc. Usually small trinkets and what not, like most stores as you go and purchase the item you picked out the cashiers area also hold items which keeps the shoppers interested and they would basically pick up the item and buy it, like a package of gum.
Looking straight ahead of the front desk was a printer and other art supplies that can only be found by asking the clerk. The interesting thing about the store is that the students or customers that shop there know exactly what they need. Some people come in with a sheet of paper with supplies they need. It seems customers don’t need the help of workers. Some shoppers would take hours looking for a specific item and yet they still keep searching even when they know it’s not there.
According to Paco Underhill, since the chances that shoppers will buy something are directly related to how long they spend shopping and how long they spend shopping is directly related to how deep they get pulled into the store. I’ve realized that this is true. The more people spend at the store they do end up buying something. This makes me think about the time when I had to buy some art supplies. Usually, if I stay there looking for hours I would end up buying something because it makes me realize that since I’ve spent so much time looking I had to buy at least one thing. Another fact that is also true shoppers tend to take more right turns then left but the store is probably set up that way to keep the shoppers shopping.

All in all if you’re an art student, Riverside Art is the place where all things are dealt with art. If pencils, drawing papers, and paint are what you need then Riverside has it all. But for some reason they also sell frames.