After having thoroughly established that shoppers are willing to pay premium prices for natural and organic products, Whole Foods is adding premium services to match: an in-house spa and concierge services that include personal shoppers.

A Whole Foods store in Dallas is the first to incorporate a full-service spa. Located on the store’s second floor, ReFresh has seven treatment rooms, its own retail space (a store within a spa within a store) and a private veranda balcony ‘for outdoor relaxation, spa meals and retreat’. The spa is run by Whole Foods, not outsourced to an existing spa brand. The spa applies the same quality standards as the grocers downstairs do, opting for fresh, plant-based and naturally derived ingredients and only using products that haven't been tested on animals. Catering to customers pressed for time, the spa offers quick options like a mini manicure and a 25-minute Swedish massage, along with a wide range of more indulgent treatments.

Allowing customers to multi-task, Whole Foods’ concierge service offers personal shoppers. After handing over their shopping list, customers can go for a spa treatment while a Whole Foods employee dives into the aisles to gather their groceries. The shopping service is priced at USD 20/hour. Other concierge services include special (bulk) orders, dietician consultations, catering and event services and menu planning. If the spa takes off at the Dallas store, Whole Foods will add it to other locations. Concierge services are offered at a number of markets. Opportunities? Naturally, not every retailer is positioned to add a spa or concierge team to their offerings. Whole Foods Markets are mostly located in affluent areas, where consumers are willing to spend on a bit of pampering and convenience. And the company’s focus on natural products meshes well with natural spa services. Still, the focus on creating a good experience and offering consumers a combination of ease and pampering is one to learn from if you're in retail.

Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/preston
Contact: forest.concierge@wholefoods.com

Spotted by: Jim Schafer

Created by a Dutch IT specialist based in the Czech Republic, bringsome.com hopes to create a loose-knit social network of people who are willing to ‘bring some’ over for others. Some in this case means anything consumers want from another country that they can’t get in their current place of residence. Whether it’s canned coffee from Tokyo, a local brand of cachaça from São Paulo or an 80GB Sony PS3 from Seoul, bringsome.com encourages members to ask for them to be brought by others.

The website is a few months old and only shows a handful of requests and offers. Dave Ruzius, bringsome.com's founder, plans to add features if the concept catches on, and suggests delicatessen shops might be interested in supplying the network with locally sourced products. (Bringers are free to charge a fee for shipping or bringing goods over.) While built as a tool to help friends and colleagues get the products they want from abroad, bringsome.com could of course pull in advertising as traffic grows. Creating a network of personal couriers makes for an intriguing business model, not unlike online swapping communities. And the focus on goods that are only available locally is a refreshing break from Big Global Brands. (See trendwatching.com's still made here briefing for more in consumer love for all things local.)

Related: Kiosk, the New York store that switches nationalities every season and is currently limiting its wares to uniquely German items, like children's lederhosen and Löwensenf mustard. Everything in the store is sourced personally in its country of origin, making Kiosk an ideal business idea for anyone who loves travel, retail and unique products. We’re tempted to start one ourselves... ;-)

Websites: www.bringsome.com — www.kioskkiosk.com
Contact: http://tinyurl.com/2p6c76 (contact form) — info@kioskkiosk.com

Those of you who haven't visited a US mall lately might have missed the fuzzy phenomenon known as Build-A-Bear Workshops, a hugely successful chain of stores that lets patrons build their own teddy. Build-A-Bear was founded in 1997 and now operates 300 stores worldwide. For one reason or another, the workshops mainly attract girls and their mothers. Boys and their fathers (and car loving daughters) no longer need to feel left out — as of Friday, they can pimp their own toys at Ridemakerz, whose first store opened in Myrtle Beach, SC.

How the concept works: kids select a 10 to 12-inch chassis, body style, paint scheme and sound effects. After assembly in the customizing shop, personalization continues: customers can add decals, grilles and other elements. A free wheel chassis retails from US 12 for a basic unbranded ‘RZ Wedge’ to USD 28 for a Dodge Ram Rampage. Extras are, well, extra: USD 25 for remote control, USD 6.50 for working lights, USD 3 for a soundtrack or screeching tires and growling motors set to rock or electronic music. Each car comes with a certificate of title, personalized license plates and assembly tools, and birthday parties will be catered to starting this summer.

Ridemakerz was founded with financial investment from Build-A-Bear, which is also sharing infrastructure, marketing data and back-office support with its four-wheeled sibling. “Our partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop allows us to fire on all cylinders from the very start,” says Ridemakerz’ CEO Larry Andreini. Currently, The Ridemakerz Customizing Shop in Myrtle Beach and four outlets to be opened this year are company owned and operated, not franchised. Opportunities? Build-A-Bear has started to spread to other parts of the world, along with local copycats. But both ‘do it yourself together’ concepts still have plenty of room to grow outside the US and are great examples for (toy) manufacturers and retailers who want to add a strong layer of experience to their products.

Website: www.ridemakerz.com
Contact: servicecrew@ridemakerz.com

When parents hear the strains of their wee one’s favourite ditty for the hundredth time, their toes curl up. Most hadn't realized that listening to a cartoon character singing the same song over and over would be one of the sacrifices they’d have to make as parents. Bryan Townsend, founder of Atlanta-based The Pokey Pup feels their pain: “Let's face it, parents end up listening to this music and watching the DVDs as much as their kids do, and after a while, that can be downright excruciating on everyone's ears.“

The Pokey Pup is an online e-tailer that sells CDs, DVDs and books as an alternative to pre-packaged saccharine and TV-inspired music. "The best children's music can be music that parents enjoy as much as their children,” says Townsend. A long time music industry veteran, Townsend was inspired to launch The Pokey Pup in 2005 as he and his wife awaited the birth of their first child. Since then, sales have doubled each month and he’s amassed a catalogue of over 1,000 selections, combining classics like Sesame Street with selections from well-known and relatively unknown artists.

Gen X and Y parents who want to participate equally in family entertainment are The Pokey Pup’s primary audience. These parents actively seek out and participate in cross-generational experiences and expect to enjoy the activity as much as their child. Another example of this trend is previously featured Baby Loves Disco, which holds Saturday afternoon parent/child dance fêtes at local night clubs.

One to expand to different countries and languages. Note that curation is key with a concept like The Pokey Pup, and harnessing the long tail of independent music requires dogged research, original taste in music and the ability to communicate your preferences. If literature is your forte, why not start up a niche online bookstore offering the best alternative children’s books?

Website: www.pokeypup.com
Contact: service@pokeypup.com

Spotted by: Beth Blenz-Clucas

Bake sales are popping up all over the place in the Silver Lake neighbourhood of Los Angeles—and pinpointing exactly where and when is part of the fun. Billed as a “secret bakery,” Treat Street is a roving guerilla venture that operates out of a homemade stand that temporarily alights in a baker-friendly driveway. Similar to previously highlighted guerilla concepts, such as pop-up restaurants and drive-in movie theaters, Treat Street keeps its patrons enthused by keeping them guessing. Customers can log onto the Treat Street blog for clues about where the next sale will be, or to view pictures of past events.

While there’s much to be said for homemade cookies and cakes, it's the novelty that keeps this idea fresh and appealing. Many customers get a sense of adventure when it comes to surprises that linger but briefly. Although you’re unlikely to make millions by running local bake sales, guerilla concepts are good inspiration for entrepreneurs or marketeers who want to create buzz without breaking the bank. And for big (food and beverage) brands who want to delight and surprise consumers. For in-depth information on what drives consumers to seek out new experiences instead of new possessions, check out trendwatching.com’s briefing on transumers. Last but not least, the pop-up method is also a low-cost way to try out a business and find out whether it’s something you want to invest more time and money in.

Website: www.treatst.blogspot.com

Spotted by: Peter Abraham