By Thomas Loeff

The Simon Property Group of Indianapolis, IN has installed new RMUs and kiosks designed by Sharon Loeff, president of Shopworks, Inc.  The first two properties to receive the new equipment are Walt Whitman Shops, NY, and Town Center Boca, FL.  As many as ten additional properties will receive the new equipment this year.

The design process was a collaboration between Shopworks, and leaders from Simon’s leasing, design, and purchasing departments. The entire design process was completed over a period of many months during which Ms. Loeff was able to optimize the new equipment to best meet the needs of both program managers and merchants alike.  The objective was to create equipment that is aesthetically pleasing, cost effective to manufacture, and easy to merchandise.

Ms. Loeff used powerful new innovations to achieve these goals.  First, she set the bed at a height substantially lower than that used by most other equipment manufacturers.  Just as important, she employed a single level bed carefully designed to accept either standard or custom secondary fixtures.

The images below are renderings showing the RMU without fixtures or merchandise.

Here are images showing the new RMUs fully merchandised, and equipped with custom, secondary fixtures.  These are first-hand examples of how a great RMU design disappears and allows the merchant’s goods and brand to shine through.

                               Ghost Armor                                                 Deep Sea Cosmetics

                       Protective Shields for Electronics                                                     Dead Sea Cosmetics

Experienced common area program managers will quickly notice the obvious features and power of these designs:

• Unobstructed sightlines across the common area,
• No exterior shelves to impede access to merchandise and the display area,
• Seamless integration of secondary fixtures with the RMU.

                                 The Vapor Club                                                          Royale

                                 Smokeless Cigarettes                                                                  Hair Products

Early feedback from Simon is overwhelmingly positive.  “We love these new designs”, says Marla Parr, Executive Vice President of Specialty Leasing at Simon Property Group.  The RFP for production of this equipment was won by Global Experience Specialists of Las Vegas, NV.