09 SEPTEMBER 2026 — DESIGN
Trolley Square: Episode 3
There’s nothing like a deadline to force a decision. And in Episode Three of our Trolley Square series, there are plenty of both. Turns out designing a store is easier said than done.
After just a week away, Shea returns to find the store transformed. Lighting is in, molding and trim are taking shape, and for the first time, the space is beginning to feel like walking through a Studio McGee home. But with that progress comes a new round of problems—and not much time to solve them.
Cabinetry arrives in the wrong colors, sending Shea into a last-minute debate over whether to repaint or embrace the unexpected. The front doors are delayed just days before turnover, putting everything around the entrance on hold. A rug display is too large for its space, molding has to be reworked to make room for signage, and just when the list seems to be getting shorter, the team discovers a leak in the roof.
It’s the messy reality of bringing a design from paper to life: second-guessing decisions, making changes on the spot, and knowing when to stick with the original plan. Some mistakes even lead to better solutions, like the repainted kitchen cabinetry that ultimately creates the neutral backdrop Shea wanted for changing seasonal displays.
Amid the scrambling, there’s a turning point. Shea and Syd walk through the store together and can finally see the idea they’ve talked about for years becoming real. Historic brick and arched windows meet detailed molding, warm lighting, and rooms designed to feel more like a home than a traditional retail space.
There are still problems to solve—and very little time left to solve them—but the vision is finally here.
Episode 3 now on YouTube. New episodes air every Wednesday as we count down to the store’s grand opening.
