SDL Minorfern Bespoke Retail Fit-Out

The Brief

SDL Minorfern – a successful, family-run business with over 40 years of experience supplying tools, parts, and equipment to the garage and car repair trade – approached us to help modernise their in-store customer experience with a bespoke retail fit-out.

With 12 branches across the UK, they wanted to refresh the appearance of their shop counters and product displays. The key challenge was to find a creative, space-saving way to present everyday car care products in each branch, while also strengthening their visual branding and messaging.

SDL Minorfern’s Head Office and Distribution Centre is located in Chesterfield. As a fellow Chesterfield-based business and Chesterfield Champion, we were proud to collaborate on a retail fit-out design project that combined local partnership with national reach.

Our Creative Approach

Rather than relying on traditional shelving displays, we proposed a visually-led solution using large-format printed boards.

We photographed the products already being displayed on-site and recreated the look of fully stocked shelves on high-quality graphic panels. This gave the illusion of a physical display without taking up any floor space – a clean, modern alternative to cluttered shelving.

To reinforce SDL’s brand identity and improve customer engagement, we also designed and installed:

• Wraparound counter graphics featuring popular product imagery and SDL’s branding
• Custom-designed boards showcasing key suppliers, stats, and customer messaging
• Frosted vinyl window graphics to increase brand presence from outside the store
• Branded messaging zones to provide visual consistency across all locations

This carefully planned retail interior fit-out design resulted in a cohesive and immersive in-branch experience that felt modern, professional, and uniquely tailored to SDL’s audience.

Implementation

The project began at SDL’s Chesterfield headquarters, where our team managed everything from measurement to final installation. The completed retail fit-out included:

• Four large product display boards
• A dedicated board for messaging and key statistics
• Frosted vinyl window graphics featuring the SDL logo
• A set of branded supplier panels
• Counter wraps showing products and branding

Following the success of the Chesterfield installation, we went on to deliver similar solutions at SDL’s Burton and Leeds branches, with additional locations lined up shortly after.

Project Impact

This project delivered immediate and lasting benefits for SDL’s retail spaces:

• Visually Engaging: The high-quality displays added bold, eye-catching features to each branch, improving the visual appeal for customers.
• Space Efficient: By representing products through photography instead of shelving, SDL freed up valuable floor space – resulting in a cleaner, more modern layout.
• Consistently Branded: Each location now carries a unified brand presence, helping to build trust, improve customer experience, and reinforce SDL’s market authority.

Innovative Thinking, Lasting Results

The work completed for SDL Minorfern remains a proud example of effective retail fit-out design. It combined bold visuals, clever use of space, and strategic branding – proving that, with the right creative approach, functional retail environments can be transformed into engaging, high-impact experiences.

This post was originally published in July 2022 and has since been refreshed to reflect the full scope and lasting impact of the project.