SHELTON, CONNECTICUT-Fairway & Greene-already the high-end green-grass apparel market’s unparalleled leader in product quality, customer service and sales support-is further enhancing its well-deserved reputation by holding a series of regional Visual Merchandising seminars nationwide, including several affiliated with the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM).
"The No. 1 educational request from AGM members was asking us to hold regional merchandising seminars," says Todd Martin, president of Fairway & Greene, which has been named the top men’s apparel vendor for five consecutive years in the AGM’s annual Member Survey. "We’re truly honored that the AGM members trust our knowledge and judgment so much in the area of Visual Merchandising. All the PGA Merchandise Show attendees who raved about our windows and spectacular booth displays this year in Orlando know that Andrea Rowan, our Director of Visual Merchandising, is one of the best."
Prior to joining Fairway & Greene, Rowan founded her own company specializing in Visual Merchandising for golf shops in Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester, New York counties. She had previously worked as a Merchandising Manager for Abercrombie & Fitch and Banana Republic, and was a Visual Merchandiser for Plaza Too, a high-end shoe and accessories store.
Thanks to Rowan’s unique knowledge of the inner workings of golf shops, she understands that while many of Fairway & Greene’s customers have the fashion sense, shop space and clientele to showcase the company’s product with an incredible boutique-like flair, many don’t have the ability or tools to create elaborate displays. Thus, when so many AGM members requested merchandising seminars from Fairway & Greene, Rowan agreed with Martin that, true to the company’s dedication to its customers, it would be an extremely educational service to hold seminars that provided golf professionals with the knowledge of how to best utilize their shelf space to showcase product for maximum impact. "We have an old expression at Fairway & Greene, and that’s "the eyes eat first". It has to look good for people to make the purchase".
Rowan’s third seminar is scheduled in West Palm Beach, Florida in mid May. The first two seminars were held March 5 in Phoenix, Arizona, and March 11 at Wichita (Kansas) Country Club.
"My goal for this workshop is to make Visual Merchandising as easy as swinging a golf club," Rowan says. "Fashion is as foreign to [these golf professionals] as golf is to me. I thought about the overwhelming amount of information I receive every time I’ve taken a golf lesson. I was thinking so much I couldn’t think clearly and could barely hit the ball. Finally, a great golf pro gave me the most simple advice-‘Don’t think, just swing back and through the ball.’ Now when I play, the only two words I think about are, ‘back and through,’ and most of the time I hit it straight down the middle.
"I use the same keep-it-simple philosophy with Visual Merchandising," Rowan says. "I narrowed Visual Merchandising down to two simple words-outfitting and balance. These are the same two simple words I use when analyzing a display or a window I create for Fairway & Greene. Outfitting keeps your display interesting and enticing. It plants the seed and tells the story."
"The only other thing a shop needs is balance," Rowan says. "Balance makes shopping easy. The more balance you have, the better the traffic flow. That means the customer is seeing more, spending more time and buying more. It’s that simple."
"A golf shop will be well merchandised if those two words-outfitting and balance-enter the golf professional’s mind when he or she is buying, setting walls, placing fixtures and looking for props," Rowan says. "And you cannot underestimate the importance of lighting. Maybe 1 of every 100 golf shops I am in has the correct lighting. It’s one of the most critical things to a quality retail environment".
The AGM Visual Merchandising seminars are just the latest contribution Fairway & Greene has made to the green-grass and resort golf channels over the years. And Fairway & Greene’s continued solid sales growth underscores how it is meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of the golf industry and consumers alike.
Fairway & Greene is proud of its strong vendor/partner relationships with PGA golf professionals, who are the golf industry’s stewards, ambassadors and innovators. Because the company builds brands and programs specifically designed for golf professionals, Fairway & Greene plays a key supporting role in its efforts to continually elevate the sport and serve its customer base.
Founded in 1995, Fairway & Greene is widely acknowledged as the leader in the high-end green-grass apparel market. With an unparalleled emphasis on product quality, customer service and sales support, the company has rapidly grown and is currently sold in over 3,500 of the finest private clubs, resorts and clubs in the world.
Contact:
Mary Beth Lacy
760-346-6942
mb@mblacy.com
Covering the business of golf!
