Psycho Bunny Sees Physical Stores as Integral to Marketing

After a year of record store closures, companies large and small are looking to add physical locations with the emphasis shifting from ecommerce to omnichannel retail as the economy reopens. Among them is Psycho Bunny, which began in 2005 as a wholesale menswear line selling in department store chains such as Nordstrom. The retail brand, its logo a mix of the macabre and the winsome, is now in the process of opening at least 15 locations this year, more than doubling its total store count. The move is because it sees physical stores as a key component of getting its message to shoppers. "The store expansion is playing a massive role in the company's marketing efforts in driving brand awareness," said Matthew Morein, Psycho Bunny's director of brand and marketing, in a discussion with Adweek. Psycho Bunny also views the current economic environment as an opportunity to grow its footprint, given a surplus of retail square footage available for rent and more amenable lease agreements available. "We did see some additional opportunities as a result of some legacy retailers either rationalizing their portfolio or downsizing their footprint," said Kenny Minzberg, COO of Psycho Bunny. "And when great opportunities emerge, we jump on it," he said. Minzberg elaborated that while the retailer planned to open stores prior to the pandemic, the current conditions ultimately accelerated that growth process. The art of the possible Psycho Bunny's first foray into physical retail was in 2018 when it opened its first store in the Aventura Mall in Miami. It was there that the brand developed the concept for its stores' physical environment, which was in turn inspired by art gallery spaces. "It's a beautiful, vibrant, branded experience with the oversized bunnies and the acrylic glass and the big screen and the bright colors of our clothes. We're really trying to build that retail experience for the now and for the future," Morein explained. Since opening that initial Florida location, Psycho Bunny has found that its stores are succeeding at reaching customers. "We see that opening stores in markets has a halo effect on the ecommerce business as well, and really accelerates that growth," Morein emphasized. Let's get physical This year, Psycho Bunny opened its first store in late March in the Westfield-operated Garden State Plaza mall located in Paramus, N.J., which also happens to be the brand's first permanent store in the Northeast. The space takes up 1,500 square feet and features the clothing line's full assortment, including t-shirts, polos, swimsuits and accessories. The store window that greets passersby is a prism composed of glass panels with a dichroic film, giving visitors a view into the Psycho Bunny world. The interior is adorned with a neon bunny sign and a large-scale LED video wall. Since late March, Psycho Bunny continued to add locations at upscale malls such as Tyson's Corner Center in Tyson, Va., The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Fla., Bellevue Square in Bellevue, Wash., Somerset Collection in Troy, Mich., Desert Hills Premium Outlet in Cabazon, Calif., Oakbrook Center in Oakbrook, Ill. and Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale, Ariz. The stores have been so successful that they have performed 140% above plan so far, Morein stated. Now let's get digital Not only is Psycho Bunny adding more bricks, it is also evolving its in-store environment to create a more interactive experience to meet consumers' higher expectations post-pandemic. For example, the cash register is being relocated to the center to the store from the back and incorporated into a multi-service function bar with display cases featuring product where customers check out, Morein said. In other instances, Psycho Bunny is looking into ways to convert a table top into a wireless charging station and incorporating services such as picking up online purchases into the store design, he noted. To impact shoppers as soon as they walk into the store, the brand is contemplating a digital screen that encases the entrance that they walk through, and then using this video installation feature as a way to integrate art into the overall space, Morein said. Even augmented reality will come into play, with customers being given the ability to activate experiences via their mobile devices. Can Retailers Keep Up With the Prime Day Juggernaut?