Grand Enterance

As U.S states go, Texas is second only to Alaska in geographical size. Texas is also second to France for claim to the title of the largest Foot Locker store in the world. Recently opened on the westside of Fort Worth, the latest Foot Locker Community Store is an enormous space with a full VR running zone and a community-use basketball court right in the middle of the store. Shoes for every sport run an endless thread through the building; it’s easy to get inspired to lace up for however you play. We like cool sneakers and sports at High Order so getting the call from our friends at SGK Inc. to support them with the build out of this space just in time for the grand opening late last year was the “makes all kinds” challenge we enjoy best.

The project was Texas-sized, a 150’ x 25’ wheat paste wall just inside the entrance, and we had to do it amidst the final run-up to the grand opening. It takes a lot of people to build a space like this but despite all the comings and goings through our work area everyone was as friendly as they were focused. Nothing second place here, the design and build crew were top of the podium for this one.

The brief was to apply a wide-ranging selection of client-supplied graphics and images to the entrance wall in a style that would suggest the store has been there for decades. The application of images needed to look organic, as if applied over many years, but also deliver a clean, focused branding message for the client and this specific location. Our three-person team arrived on site, developed a layout for installation and got to work. OK, wait, we did take a quick break for some Tex-Mex first and then began putting posters and glue to the wall.

Tanner, Amanda and Chris were in continuous movement over the next day-and-a-half, shifting locations like a well-drawn basketball offense, exchanging time on the scissor lift, and occasionally explaining to would-be customers that the store was not open just yet. It was one of those jobs where the work just flowed and while it seemed at first that we’d never finish, once we got the momentum rolling it really started to take shape. Every now and then we’d turn around to see some of the other crews watching and it must’ve been cool to see, our crew selecting images from a large pile and applying them to the wall with the graceful sweep of the glue brush. If you didn’t know any better, it did look like these posters had been put at various times over the years, each taking an available spot and fitting in with what was already in place.

Don’t sleep on checking it out if you’re in the area. But take a moment before you walk in and check out this cool project.