Brand stores: Cross

Cross pens opened its first store in Harvard Square in Cambridge in April of 2004. A second store opened in a suburb of Boston in November.

Cross stores have given the company an opportunity to display their products in an ideal way. Its consumers have a chance to interact with the brand in a bright, modern environment, and the merchandise is easy to explore, presented colorfully and neatly. Items such as stylish journals and notebooks, bookends and desk accessories add to the mix, and pads of paper are available for people to experience the pens. In addition, the stores offer a perfect combination of classic and contemporary, such as pouches for an Ipod and bags for laptops.

The retail ventures also offer an opportunity for the company to test and sell new products. For example, the Kimono pen, originally introduced in the Cross stores in Harvard Square, was so popular that the company made it available on its web site.

Brand-specific stores are here to stay. What have you done to capitalize on the best brands in your store?