Transforming the Shopping Experience: 3 Retail Projects

With the continuous advancement of technology and e-commerce, the retail market has become even more sophisticated in its brick & mortar design, logistical capabilities and online offerings.

Retail now involves a multifaceted experience interwoven between an online and physical presence, as well as strategically placed warehouses and micro-fulfillment centers to ensure customers efficiently receive the correct orders on their doorstep.

As retail continues to grow and shift, we also continuously adapt alongside the industry to effectively bring our design, development and construction expertise to the table. This includes the promotion of Rachel Dana to Director of Construction – Retail.

With over 400 retail projects completed and 50 more on the way, we are continuing to successfully enhance the retail experience through development and construction, reflecting the growing sophistication of the shopping experience.

Here are a few examples of how we helped our retail clients achieve their goals and set a new standard for the shopping experience:

Lunds & Byerlys – Saint Paul, MN

The full-service grocery store in the Highland Bridge development of Saint Paul, MN opened in 2022 and offers an immersive grocery store experience that intentionally considers the customer journey from start to finish. This store is 20% larger than the previous store, with familiar aspects including the layout of the new store’s shopping patterns and aisles. The new Lunds & Byerlys store includes two levels of covered parking and anchors the first large mixed-use project at Highland Bridge, The Collection, which includes 230 apartment units. Grocery is a critical component to the success of a neighborhood. The new Lunds & Byerly’s format meets customers where they are, helping to make the shopping experience efficient, easy and enjoyable.

Living Spaces – National Retailer

Offering unique amenities and showcasing their home furnishings in distinctive environments, Living Spaces is dedicated to creating an exceptional buying experience for their customers. Our experience and expertise in development and construction has helped Living Spaces expand from eight locations to 35 sites across the country – and counting. At each store location, customers can count on consistency, from quality service to company values to impressive store features – including a bar and children’s jungle gym. We collaborated with Living Spaces every step of the way to support their national growth strategy and increase sales. Our construction team worked closely with the company to adapt the store design in the middle of the project, successfully fitting four more model homes inside the store, increasing space to accommodate more product and increase sales. Spearheading the charge while streamlining the process, we are a preferred partner to help Living Spaces transform houses into homes through exceptional furnishings.

The Grove – Maple Grove, MN

Improving communities and enhancing the lives of the people within them is one of our driving forces at Ryan. In the City of Maple Grove, that meant developing a retail, medical, office and hospitality hub that would bring easy access to jobs and healthcare to the expanding population of the Twin Cities’ northwest suburbs. The Grove, a master planned, mixed-use development, includes an interconnected mix of big-box retailers; a pedestrian-friendly village with a mix of local, regional and national retailers and restaurants; and a 600,000-SF medical campus featuring North Memorial Hospital.

Working closely with the City of Maple Grove, we developed the 200-acre property using high-quality architecture that incorporates traditional and contemporary design elements. The space maintains some of the site’s native landscape and design features and complements the city’s existing amenities. The Grove also incorporates walking paths throughout the site that connect to adjacent park trails and several locations to gather and relax, giving the development a cohesive, community feel. With its unique, mixed-use layout, The Grove provides Maple Grove residents and the surrounding community access to high-quality, convenient healthcare; expanded employment opportunities; and a bustling, inviting space to shop, eat and gather.