A couple of weeks ago I noticed an eye-catching wall display at the Gap.
The display featured a bicycle from Public Bikes, disassembled and mounted as part of the in-store décor, so the pieces aren’t for sale. I thought the panels looked fantastic. I’m more of an admirer than a regular rider (apologies to my cycling-enthusiast father), but I’d love to have those posters in our home—somewhere that complements the rest of the decor. Below is a clearer photo of one of the panels from the Public Bikes blog.
I spoke with the manager at my local Gap and they “made a note” to contact me when the display was retired. That was encouraging—at other stores I’ve heard a flat “we can’t give those away” when I asked, so this felt like a better chance. Still, the promise sounded a little vague—almost like “don’t call us, we’ll call you.” To increase my odds, I also tweeted about wanting the panels, and a manager at a different Gap saw the message and offered to try to save a set once they rotate the display for holiday decor. The reach of social media surprised me; it might actually turn into something, but either way I decided to try.
Have you ever admired store displays and wished you could bring a piece of them home? Maybe you’ve spotted something at Anthropologie, Target, or another retailer and considered recreating or DIYing it. Some people ask in person, others have luck with a phone call or a direct message on social media. I know friends who received movie posters from Blockbuster after they were done using them as in-store promotion. If you’ve successfully obtained store decor, how did you do it—polite asking in-store, tweeting, or an old-fashioned phone call? I’m keeping my fingers crossed that these panels find their way into my home when the Gap rotates its displays.