Jawa Motorcycles Retail Store Design
Creating a Contemporary Classic Retail Experience for a Legendary Motorcycle Brand
JAWA, a legendary motorcycle brand born in Prague in the 1920s has come alive again in a spanking new avatar. The revival team - Classic Legends reached out to Elephant Design to help them create the ideal contemporary classic retail experience.
For the brand, it was important to pay homage to inherited authenticity. For us, this had to be a story. A Jawa Story, told through a warm, cosy Book Café around which our central theme revolved.
The store is minimal and frank. The customer’s first connect is with the rugged Jawa Door Handle in solid wood with embossed steel inlay.
Independent zones were created to play out the central theme to retro modern bikers. Jawa motorcycles are positioned upfront for quick browse & feel. An eclectic Book Café corner replete with curated 70s paperbacks and collectibles surrounds an ample community table, suited for informal biker interactions. A conversational Jawa Life chalkboard, an authentic Legends’ wall with posters of epic Jawa heroes and Jawa side panel colour variant display, complete the themed ‘Book Café’ setting.
A merchandise counter with focused brand wall backdrop doubles up as place to check out accessories or have a tête-à-tête with sales personnel. Jawa biking gear & accessories are displayed in the “Gear Up Your Ride” zone along with picture frames of charming old-world Jawa ads to create a nostalgic mood. Wooden Bobber seat profiles showcase helmets and jackets.
Jawa red Chesterfield sofa adds to the relaxed vintage appeal. A low bookcase, poufy and distressed wall-mounted tin art, Jawa Clock and posters inspired by tinplate lithography, complement and complete the Classic lounge space.
The Legacy wall is hand-painted by a local artist as an authentic tribute to the first Jawa motorcycle - JAWA 500 OHV. Information about Jawa lineage, product offerings etc. are accessible via the interactive touch screen.
To unify the overall theme, the visual narrative flows through muted canvas printed lifestyle imagery created in modular format, for convenient adaptation to other locations.
Simple dome and track lights enhance the motorcycle body colours and hi-gloss trimmings. Polished veneer and wood elements evoke honest warmth. Rough textured wall finishes serve as an ideal backdrop for all wall-mounted features. Flooring with warm, rustic feel and colour variation complements the rugged appeal of the bikes and brings in a quaint personality to the space.
To the Jawa loyalist, it is a homecoming. To the modern rider, it’s a newfound legacy brimming with passion and pride, engineered for the new age.
“When we set out to bring Jawa back, our goal was to ensure that the brand stays contemporary while retaining its authenticity of yore. Our Sales & Service experience is the first physical touchpoint that the customer has with the brand, and was critical that our retail identity reflected this well. Elephant Design did a great job in translating the ethos of the brand into that ideal retail space and ensured that we create an experience that appeals as much to a first time biker as much as it does to a seasoned Jawa veteran. The recent ET Now Global Award for Retail Excellence received by them for the Jawa Retail Identity is a validation of the good work done! It was a pleasure working with them and we look forward to more collaborations in the future!”