Project Details
Public
Notables Liquor Store
Place:Â Charlottetown, PE
Program: Architecture/Commercial
Year: 2020
Notables is Prince Edward Island’s first speciality liquor store, retailing a unique selection of premium local and international products. The store is part of an open-plan urban market located within a rare, surviving part of Charlottetown’s industrial past. Built in 1906 as a railcar fabrication and maintenance shop, the building features high ceilings with exposed steel girders. Large, arched windows that previously provided the workers with generous amounts of daylight, now lend to an airy and comfortable public space. Notables’ design blends modern architecture with the existing character of the structure to create a charming, first-class retail experience.
A glazed perimeter wall defines Notables from the rest of the urban market without impeding the advantageous natural light sources beyond.  The store’s interior features a clean, modern palette of wood, steel, and glass that harmonizes with the original superstructure.
The store encompasses two main spaces: a retail area and a tasting room. The former boasts a broad, informed selection of products. It also features an additional room exclusively for wine retail. The latter allows for events, tastings, collaborations, and further integration with the adjoined market.
The open-plan retail area is bright and airy. A moss accent wall augments the wooden shelving, slats, and suspended panels to impart a natural and inviting tone. Tall brick archways signify the transition from the open retail area into the more intimate wine room. Wine is displayed around the perimeter on wooden shelving while vertical backlit sections highlight select bottles. Steel hoop lighting is suspended above custom wood gondola displays, creating the sense of a lower ceiling. The focal point within the room is a temperature-controlled wine display, proudly showcasing the finest bottles in the store’s inventory.
Adjacent to the wine room, separated by a glazed door, is the tasting room. Long tables span the width of the room and provide space for guests to sit during wine tastings and other events. Wooden beams span opposed walls of glass and brick to unify the old and the new while balancing the acoustics of the high ceiling.
