John Mullins, P.E., Associate and Senior Mechanical Engineer, and Craig Hale, AIA, Associate Principal and Retail Program Director, Carter & Burgess, Inc. Fort Worth, Texas

The Art of the Soft Sell

It may seem silly to infer that an upscale retailer such as Saks Fifth Avenue and a mass merchandiser such as Wal-Mart have anything in common, other than the fact that both are retailers. However, a look at their operations reveals a common theme: both have taken to heart and perfected a key tenet of successful retailing—presenting products that people want in an appealing, comfortable e...