These days, when people walk into a store, they’re rarely just looking for a product. What they really expect is guidance, inspiration and experiences. In an era of ever-greater digital convenience, the strength of physical retail no longer lies solely in sales.
The store becomes a stage. It is a spatial interpretation of a brand’s identity. It is a place where stories are told, values are conveyed, and relationships are built. Successful stores don’t just sell products. They create emotional experiences that linger in people’s memories.
The Union-Zeughaus of 1. FC Union Berlin in Berlin’s Alexa shopping centre, implemented by umdasch The Store Makers in early summer last year, is an example of how all this can be skilfully put into practice.
Why standard solutions rarely create powerful experiences
Every day, we are confronted with countless impressions. In a world where it seems as though everything has already been seen, it is becoming increasingly difficult to capture people’s attention. Interchangeable retail spaces are therefore becoming less and less effective, and brands must set themselves apart. This is precisely why bespoke shopfitting solutions are becoming increasingly important.
Whilst standardised store concepts focus primarily on efficiency, emotional brand experiences are often only created through bespoke solutions. Custom-designed furniture, unique combinations of materials, specially staged product displays or bespoke digital applications create experiences that cannot be replicated.
Club identity as a store concept
The Union-Zeughaus is a good example of this. Every area of the store has been specifically tailored to the distinctive characteristics of the Union Berlin brand. “At the Union-Zeughaus, the club’s identity is conveyed not only through fan merchandise, but also through materials, architecture, visual elements and interactive features,” says Maik Drewitz, Store Consult Director at umdasch The Store Makers in Duisburg and jointly responsible for the store design of the new Union-Zeughaus: “The result is a place where fans can directly experience their sense of belonging to the club.”
The design therefore does not simply tell just any story. It tells the story of a club, its fans and its home. This creates something that goes far beyond traditional shopfitting: a place where people can identify with the brand.
“Store design, as a brand ambassador, should not be underestimated.”
Top Store picture gallery
All photos: umdasch The Store Makers
The brand as the starting point
“One thing was clear from the outset: we wanted to create more than just a traditional fan shop,” says Toni Koch, who is responsible for sales development at 1. FC Union Berlin and was behind the creation of the Union-Zeughaus: “Our aim was to bring the space to life through various standout features. Furthermore, we set ourselves the task of bringing a piece of the Alte Försterei – and thus an important part of our DNA – to Alexanderplatz. This idea runs through the entire store, from the entrance portal to the individual themed areas.”
The challenge, therefore, was to translate the emotional power of the Alte Försterei – the historic home ground of 1. FC Union Berlin – into an inner-city retail format without losing the brand’s authenticity.
Union spirit across around 260 square metres
This is precisely where the work of Store Consult by umdasch The Store Makers came in. Rather than starting with furniture, materials or floor plans, the initial focus was on the question: what makes the club unique? What stories and which people connect fans to ‘their’ Union Berlin? Which places, symbols and emotions shape the sense of community?
It was only from these insights – this sense of the club – that the overarching design narrative emerged. The result is a store spanning around 260 square metres that translates the Union spirit into a physical space. The entrance area alone creates emotional connections: sand-coloured clinker brick elements are reminiscent of the façade of the Alte Försterei, whilst a characteristic Berlin archway echoes the local connection.
Industrial materials characterise the store design
Further into the store, fans encounter industrial materials with a rusted finish, as well as reflective ‘Eisern’ lettering that visibly carries the club’s identity throughout the space. “The combination of stadium atmosphere and industrial roots is particularly striking”, Maik Drewitz sums up.
Every detail is part of the story. For this is precisely where the strength of a strategic store design lies: spaces are not designed simply to look attractive. They are designed to convey meaning.
The digital dimension as an amplifier of the brand world
However, today’s experiential worlds are no longer created solely through architecture and design. Digital touchpoints open up an additional layer of interaction and create new opportunities to actively engage customers. It is crucial that digital solutions are not added as an afterthought, but are considered from the very beginning, explains Svenja Krach, Retail Experience Consultant at umdasch The Store Makers:
“Together, we looked at the points along the customer journey where digital elements create real added value whilst also fitting in with the identity of 1. FC Union Berlin. It was important to us not to let technology overshadow the club’s down-to-earth and authentic character.”
Jersey Forge creates interactive brand experiences
It was precisely this approach that was adopted at the Union-Zeughaus. An LED platform displaying match highlights, club graphics and fan chants draws visitors into the world of the ‘Eisernen’ right from the moment they enter the store. Along the product zones, video rails bring movement, emotion and up-to-date content to the space, making it possible to constantly reimagine the store.
The result is not a static fan shop, but a place where the brand and the Union spirit can be experienced anew time and again. At the heart of the digital concept is the so-called ‘Jersey Forge’, where fans can customise their own jersey and track the personalisation process in real time on a touchscreen. The concept is complemented by a photo booth in the style of Berlin’s iconic photo boxes, as well as a merchandise configurator for personalised souvenirs.
Interactive experiences at the Union-Zeughaus
“Here, digital technology is not an end in itself, but supports orientation, presentation and interaction.”
The added value of these applications lies not solely in their function. They foster engagement. They make the fan part of the story – turning consumers into active participants.
Brands become strong where they can be experienced
It is only the interplay of storytelling, bespoke shopfitting solutions, digital touchpoints and genuine engagement that transforms a retail space into a place with emotional appeal. The Union-Zeughaus is a prime example of this.
However, the most important insight here extends far beyond the sports retail sector. “For me, the project demonstrates above all how important authentic storytelling is in brick-and-mortar retail,” summarises Maik Drewitz: “Success does not come from standardised retail spaces, but from experiences that credibly tell a brand’s story. A football club can benefit from this just as much as other retail or brand companies. Those who make their origins, values and community visible create genuine differentiation.”
Brick-and-mortar retail scores with identity and experience
Particularly in times of increasing digitalisation, the future of brick-and-mortar retail therefore lies not in more floor space or a wider product range, but in more relevant experiences. Brands that succeed in bringing their story to life in a physical space and allowing people to become part of that story create something that is almost impossible to replicate online: a genuine sense of connection.
- Top Store Facts
- Store: Fanshop 1. FC Union Berlin
- Project location: ALEXA Berlin, Level 2, Grunerstraße 20, Berlin, Deutschland
- Sales area: 250 m²
- Opening: 03 May 2025
- Services provided by umdasch The Store Makers: Concept, Design, Digital Signage, Digital Concept & Creation
- Partner Shopfitting/furnishings: furnsign UG
- Partner interior fit-out including façade design: QR Bauunternehmen Berlin GmbH
