How Craft Cellars Maximized a Compact Space with COPPER 8’s Creative Retail Design
COPPER 8
Impact
New retail store in Calgary’s redeveloped Northland Mall
Boutique space designed for maximum display and efficient workflow
Successful grand opening with a strong community response
Strong sales and healthy foot traffic since opening
Interviewee Bio
Darcy Wood is the President and Partner of Craft Cellars, a Calgary-based retailer specializing in premium wine, whisky, and craft beer. Founded in 2015, the company has built a loyal following by pairing an extensive selection with expert guidance, exclusive tastings, and exceptional service. Darcy leads the company’s vision and operations, overseeing a team of 20 passionate staff members who share a love of quality, craftsmanship, and community.
“Craft Cellars is a premium wine, whisky and craft-beer retailer, known for our large selection, competitive prices, and special deals that keep customers coming back,” says Darcy.
Executive Summary
A premium brand with a growing footprint
After nearly a decade serving Calgary’s beverage enthusiasts, Craft Cellars secured a prime new location in the redeveloped Northland Mall. The team saw an opportunity to extend the brand’s presence while introducing the Craft Cellars experience to a new neighbourhood.
Designing for impact in a smaller space
The new location offered high visibility next to the Italian Centre grocery, but a much smaller footprint. Craft Cellars needed a design that felt luxurious and welcoming while optimizing every square foot for product variety and flow.
A creative partnership that delivered results
Craft Cellars worked closely with COPPER 8 to translate the store’s established identity into a fresh, high-performing retail environment. Through careful planning and creative problem-solving, the result is a space that perfectly reflects the Craft Cellars brand, with a functional and welcoming small-format design.
“COPPER 8 over-delivered on value, made the design process easy, and brought a high level of professionalism.”
Darcy Wood, President, Craft Cellars
Intro
Helping a retail favourite grow into a new community
Craft Cellars has built its reputation on expertise, service, and selection. Since opening its doors in 2015, the store has become a destination for wine, whisky, and craft beer enthusiasts, known for its knowledgeable staff, premium events, and curated collection.
When the opportunity arose to open a second location in Calgary’s Northland Mall, Darcy Wood and his team saw the potential to reach new customers and strengthen the brand’s presence. The mall redevelopment promised high foot traffic and a complementary neighbour in the Italian Centre, attracting exactly the kind of clientele that values Craft Cellars’ premium offerings.
“We regularly host tasting events to help customers discover new favourites and take pride in combining premium offerings with great value,” says Darcy. The new location will help Craft Cellars bring that experience to a different part of the city.
Challenge
Creating a boutique experience without compromise
The new location needed to welcome customers immediately upon entry and deliver the full Craft Cellars experience in a more compact, bustling space. It would require an intentional design that balances form and function.
“We needed a design that would feel like Craft Cellars—beautiful, inviting, and well-organized—while maximizing a compact footprint,” says Darcy.
The space had to feature an extensive wine selection while still accommodating craft beer, premium spirits, and a knowledgeable team ready to guide customers through the store. Craft Cellars also aimed to ensure the design supported efficient operations for staff during busy weekends and tasting events.
“The new store also had to be wine-focused to appeal to food and wine enthusiasts from the Italian market, yet still offer the full selection of craft beer, premium spirits and expert staff our customers expect,” says Darcy.
Selection & Implementation
A partnership built on trust and shared vision
Craft Cellars connected with COPPER 8 to explore ideas, reviewing credentials and client testimonials to assess alignment. Although COPPER 8’s public work emphasized commercial and hospitality interiors more than retail, its professionalism, technical expertise, and collaborative approach stood out.
“We were introduced to COPPER 8 through a family connection, which opened the door to working together,” says Darcy. “That said, I still did my due diligence by reviewing its previous projects and client reviews.”
From the beginning, COPPER 8 approached the project as a creative partnership. The design team began by visiting the flagship store to observe traffic flow, product organization, and brand touchpoints. This discovery stage informed the planning and design of the new boutique location, ensuring it captured the essence of the original while adapting it for a smaller footprint.
“Our discussions convinced me the team understood our vision and could translate it into a wine-boutique setting,” says Darcy. “Its professionalism, track record, accreditations, and competitive pricing made COPPER 8 an easy choice.”
Together, the teams explored multiple layout iterations, refining everything from product groupings to circulation flow. COPPER 8’s team remained flexible and solution-oriented, working through each design round until the layout optimized both customer experience and inventory capacity.
“COPPER 8 started by visiting our main store to understand how we operate and what makes Craft Cellars special. Together we brainstormed how to bring that personality into a smaller footprint geared toward a different demographic,” says Darcy.
The ability to combine creativity with practicality made COPPER 8 the ideal partner. Its collaborative process ensured every decision aligned with Craft Cellars’ vision and operational needs.
Solution
Designing beauty and function into every detail
Once the store’s layout was finalized, Craft Cellars selected a warm, inviting palette from several design concepts presented by COPPER 8. The goal was to reflect the brand’s approachable yet premium feel. The final design emphasized an inviting aesthetic with clear product organization and flow, creating a sense of welcome and discovery for customers.
“We went through three or four rounds of floor plans to perfect the layout, and COPPER 8 remained flexible and accommodating throughout,” says Darcy.
Craft Cellars chose custom perimeter wine shelving, a signature COPPER 8 element that combines craftsmanship with precision planning. These shelves maximize vertical space, allowing Craft Cellars to display an impressive range of wines while maintaining a clean, uncluttered aesthetic.
“COPPER 8 captured exactly what I envisioned: a space that is beautiful, original and functional, with clear product organization and an inviting feel,” says Darcy.
With Craft Cellars’ clear direction and timely decisions, COPPER 8 balanced creativity and technical rigour in coordinating engineers, contractors, and the permitting process, smoothly bringing the project from design to opening. The collaboration kept timelines tight and budgets on track, allowing Craft Cellars to launch its new store with confidence and minimal disruption.
Results
Delivering a design that drives results
Since opening, the Northland Mall store has drawn consistent praise from both customers and staff. Shoppers remark on the inviting atmosphere, thoughtful organization, and impressive selection. Staff note how the layout supports a smooth workflow and enhances customer engagement.
“Customers consistently praise the look and energy of the space, and they appreciate the large selection we’ve managed to fit into a compact footprint,” says Darcy.
The store’s grand opening drew a robust early response, with customers lining up outside before the doors opened. Early sales have been healthy, and local residents appreciate having a premium wine and spirits destination in their neighbourhood.
“Many have told us the new store fills a gap in the community; there simply wasn’t anything like it in the area before,” says Darcy. “The design delivers the full Craft Cellars experience in a smaller space, and the community has embraced it.”
This project demonstrates how Craft Cellars’ strong brand vision and commitment to quality translated beautifully into a smaller space, with design support from COPPER 8.
Future
Continuing the partnership for future growth
With its flagship store and newly opened Northland Mall location now thriving, Craft Cellars’ expansion continues with plans for the next chapter.
“We plan to engage COPPER 8 again when we launch a third store next fiscal year,” says Darcy. “Based on my experience, working with a firm like COPPER 8 is an investment worth making.”
The collaboration between Craft Cellars and COPPER 8 yielded a stunning result and a smoother, more enjoyable process. Working with a team that could support both the creative and technical needs of retail design gave Craft Cellars confidence from start to finish.
“If you choose the right partner and communicate your goals clearly, you’ll end up with a space that not only looks good but also drives results,” says Darcy.
As Craft Cellars continues to expand its footprint in Calgary’s premium beverage scene, its commitment to creating inviting, design-forward spaces will continue to set the industry standard—with COPPER 8 as a trusted design partner.
