ABC Department Store

Working with retail developing group ABC to design their Beirut Department stores, strengthening the brand’s identity as a true destination shopping experience.

ABC is Lebanon’s oldest department store; a name that remains engraved in the hearts and minds of the Lebanese shopper. For over 80 years, ABC has provided customers with quality merchandise, professional service and a vibrant and eclectic shopping environment. Located in the heart of Beirut, ABC was the first retailer to provide fixed prices in a country where bargaining was tradition, first to employ women on its sales force, the first company to advertise in Lebanon, and first department store to open its doors in the Middle East.
The According to the client, the fashion offer increased by 20% following the redesign of ABC Achrafieh.
The concept celebrates ABC’s heritage, referencing the innovation of Lebanese architecture and design and the inherent sense of style of its people. the store design DNA is based on the energy and theatre – a vibrant mix of glamour, elegance and sophistication with an urban edge. The material palette combines glamorous materials with the edgier ones, juxtaposing brass against concrete and decorative details against slick contemporary forms.
Our design concept takes inspiration from the distinctive personality of Beirut and from ABC’s rich history of customer service and innovation. the city of Beirut has been described as a city of contrasts; “beautiful and ugly, pockmarked and damaged, and glamorous and exciting.”
The premium, bold and contemporary design aesthetic features clean sight lines, unique focal points and stand out materials. A key design feature is a statement pattern floor that anchors each level in-store, referencing traditional Lebanese tiles with a thoroughly contemporary approach.
Working closely with ABC, we reviewed the overall store layout and department adjacencies to create a much more compelling proposition for the long-term future of the store and enabling growth in key areas such as Beauty and Accessories. We reviewed the brand mix, layout, flow, adjacencies and circulation, and created brand guidelines to set the standard and control the branded concessions in-store.
the new in-store identity is personal to ABC, differentiating the department store brand from the products it sells and reemphasising that it is a destination brand in its own right. ABC hosts regular series of outstanding in-store events and buzzing activities, making it Lebanon’s brightest example of retail entertainment.