After many years working in the design industry within Ireland, Peter Rigney took a leap of faith in 2020 to set up on his own with the creation of Rigney Forge. Just three years later the newly formed retail design consultancy received the Gold Award at the 2023 POPAI Awards within the Store Design category, underlining the wisdom of Peter’s decision and the strength of his hands-on approach.
“It was fantastic to win the award, which was achieved on the back of the work we’d carried out on the Kavanaghs supermarket in Belsize Park, London,” explains Peter. “Meeting the client’s requirements was the main objective but we’ve got quite a small team, so it was also brilliant recognition of the work everyone had put in.
“We did a safari around London to get some inspiration and to understand who Kavanaghs’ competitors were and even though there was a strict deadline of December 2022 to get the store ready, we were able to do so in plenty of time having first got involved about 12 months before. The key was identifying the main customer profile and to design the store to meet the needs of both the ‘grab and go’ element and those customers that were looking to take their time.”
The store design concept for Kavanaghs in Belsize is a premium 865 sqm supermarket with an enhanced food solution experience for the community, focusing on local, quality and sustainability. The design solution involves distinct in-store destinations like a food-to-go island, a bakery, fishmongers, and delicatessen for a vibrant shopping atmosphere.
Enjoying award success so soon after its formation has been testament to the strong foundations that have been put in place at Rigney Forge, as Peter outlines: “Over the years I have built up excellent contacts and have been fortunate enough to develop some really good relationships with suppliers, which is essential when it comes to specifying the right materials, finishes and colours. This really helped me to get the company up and running on a sound footing.
“We’re now based in Athlone, just an hour and a half away from both Shannon Airport and Dublin Airport, so I can get around the country very easily. However, one of the benefits of the Pandemic and the subsequent rise in Teams and Zoom meetings is that people are much more comfortable with remote working. Technology has also advanced to the extent that it’s now much easier to share visuals and 3D models in order to show clients exactly how the stores will work. I love learning about our clients businesses, and this is always best to do in person in their store, or through a design workshop with their businesses key people where we do a deep dive into their future objectives. That’s where my creative side comes to the fore.”
Thanks to the quality of its work, Rigney Forge has been able to make the most of the client relationships it has developed so far. These include a number of chains such as Jump Juice and farm shop/ garden centre, Tirlán CountryLife & FarmLife, both of which have been expanding across Ireland.
Rigney Forge produced a store design concept for Tirlán CountryLife and FarmLife that has revolutionised the chain’s farm stores and garden centres. It has infused the new brand into their retail spaces, offering a design that is both fresh and modern, yet functional and mindful of the stores’ longstanding history within their communities.
Rigney Forge also crafted the design of Jump Juice bars in various locations throughout Ireland. From stores to kiosks, the design concepts are ever-changing yet retain the brand’s playful essence to captivate customer interest.
“We work on around three Jump Juice sites a year and about four or five Tirlán sites annually,” adds Peter. “I enjoy working with chains because even though the design concept is similar, each individual store is different and has its own challenges to overcome. It’s all about knowing which elements need tweaking.
“The overall economic climate is positive at the moment and we’re seeing a growing number of opportunities. By building our links with ambitious chains we’re able to add new business as they increase their portfolio. On top of that, we’re keen to add brand new customers to our roster, both within Ireland and in the UK.”
With an award-winning approach, Rigney Forge looks well placed to keep making the most of the openings within the marketplace as it builds on its reputation further.