What are shop mezzanine flooring systems, and how are they used?

Wholesale and supply chain firms across the country are waking up to the possibilities which arise from incorporating a proportion of retail sales along with their other business.  As part of an existing distribution network for the products and materials which make up your inventory, you will be in a position to offer retail customers substantial discounts over your retail affiliates.  If you have a broader vision of what your product line is capable of, or feel that your trading partners could be more enthusiastic about marketing certain lines, an in-house retail program could be a way to increase your public profile and interact with consumers directly.

Of course, it takes a great deal of commitment – and can involve substantial risk – to occupy and prepare a whole new premises for such a tentative venture.  Instead, the smart way to dip your toe into the water when it comes to retail sales is to adapt your current site to incorporate a retail counter.  If you have unused office or warehouse space with external doors, it will be easy to create a shop area for retail trade.  But all too often space is at a premium, holding firms back from taking this step, when in fact the solution is closer than they think.

Many modern industrial units have ample headroom to allow for large storage systems and production equipment, which is under-utilized in a large number of cases.  Such sites are ideally suited to the kind of shop mezzanine flooring systems supplied by Central Storage Systems.  By creating an additional floor level within your existing building, retail mezzanines can increase your floor space by up to 100% while causing minimal disturbance to the layout of your ground floor.  As a free standing structure, a retail mezzanine can be installed without making alterations to the existing premises, freeing you from the complications which would come with making permanent modifications.  Many businesses have found that installing a showroom or shop mezzanine above a storage area has made practically no impact on the day-to-day operation of the warehouse.

The most common way of installing shop mezzanine flooring is by building the new retail space above existing storage or production facilities.  The reverse is also possible, with the benefit of keeping your retail area on the ground floor; however, bear in mind that mezzanines can support limited weight.  Another option is to erect a retail mezzanine above offices or canteen areas.  Upper level retail mezzanine floors are accessed by a dedicated mezzanine staircase, which come as part of the package from Central Storage Systems.  Once installed, your new mezzanine showroom or shop area can be fitted out and decorated as you see fit.

As well as shop mezzanine flooring systems, Central Storage Systems can provide storage and office mezzanine platforms, industrial and office partitioning and associated infrastructure.  Please contact our team today to discuss your needs, or if you have any questions about our products or methods.