A Polished Man
Greenville, SC
2020-2023
Designing both an online retail store for mens accessories and a physical mens lifestyle boutique in Greenville, South Carolina. Husband and wife team fulfill a lifetime dream to leave their corporate jobs and own a business that inspires and empowers their community.
|| 01 Context
Venturing into the world of eCommerce and subsequently owning and operating a brick-n-mortar mens store in their local town was process of deep dedication with many learning curves along the way. The owners of A Polished Man came to cc Studios with a concept and a library of ideas to not only sell high quality mens accessories and custom suits, but to bring a brand message of empowerment to young boys in their community through the idea that to be polished is to be dressed for success. These were incredible building blocks but the owners had no clear plan for how to successfully execute their vision on a tight budget. Working as a team with APM, cc Studios became a true partner in their success from the first transaction to the design and opening of their Greenville, SC location.
|| 02 Challenges
With two owners who intended to keep their full-time careers while launching their first online mens accessories store, cc Studios needed to create not only a brilliant and dynamic online destination but we had to also guide these two corporate minds in the path of creativity while also navigating project and time management systems. In addition to the constraints on their work lives, there were also budget constraints that required our team to work outside the box in terms of what we could provide that would typically bill at a higher price for the same type of project. We knew that A Polished Man was worth the investment and with deep collaboration with not only our team but the owners and their network of service providers we delivered a gorgeous online shopping experience that also to-date, functions as a top notch retail store for men.
|| The Growing Experience
Knowing that online retail was only part of the story, the owners of A Polished Man approached cc Studios to work side by side and create their first physical retail location in their hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. These owners were committed, since the opening of their online store to participating in countless community events, festivals, local gatherings as a way to bolster their custom mens accessories and suit business. This dedication assisted us in knowing exactly where to place their new store and how to work with the city of Greenville to see this new venture open with rave reviews.
From indoor and exterior signage, full layout of all interior features, structures, buildouts and relationships with contractors, cc Studios from the ground up, designed and developed one of the most sought after shops for men in downtown Greenville. All custom fixtures, lighting, artwork as well as the POS system, staffing, press and more was coordinated and supported by our team to see A Polished Man open in grand style. To date they have expanded on their product offerings, published a children’s book to support their Confidence Box for boys and continue to contract cc Studios for additional design projects as their become one of South Carolina’s most popular mens stores.
