In today’s competitive environment, successful retail is about creating an experience. 

At  A Darkness Lovely, a metaphysical and esoteric boutique in Galena, Illinois, co-owners Robyn Davis and Ted Williams have turned their shop into a multi-sensory experience, blending retail and storytelling with their haunted tour business that explores the town’s rich paranormal history.

With moody lighting, themed displays, and interactive events, they’ve reimagined what it means to be a destination store. 

If you’re looking to increase customer engagement, loyalty, and foot traffic, here are seven actionable ways to make your store an unforgettable experience.

1. Transform Your Store Into a Storytelling Platform

Every inch of your store should embody the essence of your brand. At A Darkness Lovely, Robyn Davis and Ted Williams have created a narrative-rich environment that draws visitors into the world of dark romanticism, folklore, and Galena’s haunted past.

From the moment you enter, you’re met with an atmosphere that supports their theme: shelves filled with ghost literature, divination decks, and handmade art by independent artists.

As Robyn explains: “We wanted to also celebrate the beauty of the night, the romance of darkness… and we wanted to make that accessible.”

Every product and display works in harmony. Whether it’s a tarot deck wrapped in velvet or a framed local ghost print, all of their products have backstories, making it easy to connect with the space. 

Consider how your storefront can visually and emotionally embody your brand. Use product themes, lighting, and a thoughtful layout to let your brand’s narrative guide the entire customer experience. 

2. Activate All Five Senses

Experiential retail thrives on atmosphere, which means engaging more than your customers’ eyes. 

Inside A Darkness Lovely, customers are greeted by the soothing aroma of incense, displays crafted from dark woods and vintage textures, and soft ambient lighting that elicits the gothic charm of 19th-century Galena. 

Here are some ways to bring multisensory magic into your own store:

• Scent: Select incense, essential oil diffusers, or handmade candles that align with your brand (e.g., cedarwood, patchouli, or lavender for an earthy or mystical vibe).
• Sound: Craft playlists that match your vibe and use different music for morning versus evening moods.
• Touch: Include displays with mixed materials, such as raw wood, soft velvet, antique lace, or hand-dyed yarns, to create curiosity through texture.
• Lighting: Replace overhead fluorescents with warm lamps, chandeliers, or sconces that complement your store’s tone. 

If your store currently feels sterile or impersonal, look for ways to awaken the senses. A layered sensory experience can turn a standard retail visit into something immersive, emotional, and worth sharing.

3. Create Themed Zones That Encourage Exploration

Customers want to shop and explore new spaces. That’s why creating intentional, themed zones can increase engagement and time spent in your store. One of Robyn and Ted’s most compelling examples of this is their “Stitching Hour” nook, a thoughtfully designed space dedicated to needlecraft, boutique yarns, and hand-dyed threads.

This cozy corner feels like its own environment, with unique, hard-to-find fibers arranged in a way that invites curiosity and creativity. 

This microenvironment attracts customers who may not be specifically seeking yarn but are drawn to linger due to the ambiance. 

To create your own experiential zone, consider these elements:

• Consistent Color Palette or Theme: Choose hues, patterns, or motifs that reinforce the story of the section. 
• Purposeful Signage and Displays: Use antique furniture, rustic crates, or specialty racks that add visual interest and hint at the section’s personality.
• Mood-Specific Sound or Lighting: Subtly adjust music or lighting in each zone to give customers a sense that they’ve stepped into a different world within your store.

If your customers browse quickly and move on, consider creating a themed nook that encourages them to pause and take a moment to explore. These “mini escapes” can turn visitors into loyal shoppers by offering moments of connection and inspiration.

4. Use Local Culture as Your Creative North Star

Robyn and Ted have built their business around the rich, haunted history of Galena, Illinois. Their store reflects the town while actively telling its story. The shop’s product selection is steeped in Galena’s culture, featuring books on local hauntings and true crime, as well as custom artwork by regional artists that nod to supernatural themes and Victorian aesthetics.

Their Haunted Galena Tour Company, which guides guests through historical sites and shares ghost stories, directly inspires their merchandise. By anchoring their store in Galena’s unique history and character, they have created an authentic retail space.

If your store is based in a town with a distinct history or culture, draw inspiration from it. Utilize that identity to inform your décor, product mix, and overall aesthetic. As a local retailer, it’s a great way to stand out among big chains that often lack a connection to the community. 

5. Layer Experiences With In-Store Events

A Darkness Lovely doesn’t passively wait for customers; it actively gives them a reason to walk through the door. By tying their store to a range of experiential events, they offer consistent ways for people to connect with their brand. Their calendar features a range of events, including ghost tours, storytelling sessions, and curated activities for families and children.

Here are a few event concepts they use that you can adapt to your store:

• Themed Shopping Nights: Host seasonal or interest-based evenings like Full Moon Fridays, Mystic Mondays, or Local Artist Spotlights.
• Storytelling or Readings: Bring in local authors, poets, or even community members to share tales related to your store’s theme or town’s history.
• Pop-Up Interactive Stations: Think tarot readings, candle-making bars, calligraphy booths, or mini art workshops for hands-on opportunities. 

If your space allows, consider planning monthly or seasonal experiences that match your store’s identity. It gives your community something to look forward to, and it can make your shop feel like a gathering space.

6. Cross-Sell Products and Experiences

At A Darkness Lovely, the relationship between the retail store and its haunted tour business is aligned, driving interest in both. Customers often come into the store curious about the Haunted Galena Tour Company. During the process of asking questions or buying tickets, they often discover themed merchandise available for purchase. 

Robyn and Ted are intentional about how they design this crossover. The store features signs and information about the tours, making it easy for guests to transition from browsing to booking; however, it goes beyond logistics. Items in the shop often relate directly to topics covered in their walking tours, allowing visitors to take home a piece of the story they’ve just heard on their next visit.

If your store also offers classes, tastings, or services, don’t treat them as separate from your products. Incorporate them into your visual merchandising, make them visible from the sales floor, and talk about them like they’re your bestsellers. When you blur the line between product and experience, you create a retail environment that invites curiosity and fosters deeper connections.

7. Make Social Media Part of the Experience

Robyn and Ted have a deep understanding of the value of organic marketing, particularly through platforms like Instagram. Visitors are regularly drawn to the store’s unique visual elements, such as the vintage carriage, the child-friendly ghost plushie display, and shelves packed with mysterious and artful books, all of which invite photos, selfies, and social sharing.

Robyn and Ted know that shareable images and posts function as powerful word-of-mouth marketing, often reaching entirely new audiences who may have never visited Galena otherwise.

If your store isn’t being shared online, it doesn’t necessarily mean customers don’t care. They might just need a visible reason to do so. Consider how your layout, displays, and signage contribute to the kind of environment people want to talk about and photograph. Thoughtfully designed spaces can elevate the in-person experience and increase your visibility.

Conclusion

At A Darkness Lovely, every detail contributes to a unified and immersive shopping experience. By blending retail with storytelling, Robyn and Ted have turned their store into a personal and powerful retail destination.

If you want to build a retail brand that stands out, focus on more than just what you sell. Create a space that feels alive. One that welcomes curiosity, evokes emotion, and keeps people coming back for more.

Want to learn more about other Illinois retail leaders? Read inspiring stories from retailers across Illinois who are making a difference.

If you loved learning about the story of A Darkness Lovely and know a retailer who deserves recognition, Nominate A Retailer to submit your nomination!