March 13, 2017

Add style to your closet with the D&M Shop's latest Spring arrivals, hand-selected and curated exclusively for you and available in the URBN Lobby through the end of the week. Local artists and retailers are collaborating with the D&M Shop to bring you new products in apparel, jewelry, home goods and accessories. 

Made possible by students and faculty in our Design & Merchandising Program, The D&M Shop has been selling local and handmade wares for over a decade now, having first been established in 2005 under their former name, the d&m kiosk. Since then the D&M Shop has grown rapidly; in 2012 they expanded to an online store and officially adopted their current name. "D&M is proud of our history of developing professional problem solvers that analyze opportunities using design and business factors," stated Kristen Ainscoe, Design & Merchandising Professor and D&M Shop Manager. "I see the future of our brand as a permanent brick and mortar location where we can offer an experience to our customers that explores the product making process, showcases and provides access directly to the artists and allows us to customize products for our customers." The D&M Shop, created as the Design & Merchandising Program’s retail learning laboratory, facilitates hands-on learning in all aspects of retail, affording students the opportunity to create and sell product, develop marketing and signage and execute merchandising strategies through an entrepreneurial experience. Nearly thirty students work in a collaborative environment each term to execute retail solutions through an operational business.

The D&M Shop uses a hands-on method allowing students to plan, execute and resolve opportunities that have real results. Students in the Design & Merchandising program have the opportunity to manage an operational and evolving business. As part of the curriculum, the D&M Shop integrates forecasting, collection development, production and revision, allocation of inventory, coordinated visual presentation, packaging and problem solving of variances in the supply chain. In addition, the D&M Shop encourages collaboration with the Graphic Design, Product Design and Photography programs by offering opportunities to explore students' expertise in these areas as they relate to the D&M Shop business.

Today, the D&M Shop requires participation from all D&M students. Beginning as a freshman, students are required to give three hours of service to the shop. As upperclassmen, students in the visual merchandising class work to plan and execute the pop-up store. The visual merchandising students work each term to create individual product to sell and solicit new artists for product. In addition, groups of students in this class develop a marketing, signage, visual merchandising and sales strategy for a 3-hour selling time slot during the pop-up sales event. Students can also take a class in Retail Principles, managing the operation of the pop-up store including marketing, inventory, sales, payment to artists, social media and all functions of the online store. 

Tues. March 14 4-7 // Wed. March 15 12-3 // Thurs. March 16 2-5 // Fri. March 17 10-2