Cada plans food and dining concept for old Tube station

The consultancy won the job last year following a three- or four-way pitch against undisclosed groups.

Union Market will attempt to combine a farmers’ market atmosphere with ’supermarket-style convenience’, according to the shop’s commercial director and founder Tony Bromovsky.

Bromovsky says, ’We have worked closely with Cada on the design of the retail concept, having lots of strong ideas of our own. I didn’t want foam tiles three feet above my head and I wanted to bring back theatre, buzz and fun to food shopping.’

The 465m2 store in the former Fulham Broadway London Underground station ticket hall will feature a double-height food hall with a glass atrium. The listed 1905 interior and original fittings, including signs, ticket booths and an arcade of shops, will be preserved as part of the interior design. This results in surreal moments. ’The biggest sign in the whole store reads “To the trains”, with an arrow pointing towards the cheese department,’ says Bromovsky.

Cada’s layout features ten departments, including a bakery, fruit and vegetables, tea, coffee and takeaway section, groceries, a butcher, a cheese room, wine department, delicatessen, takeaway offer the Union Kitchen and a 40-cover restaurant. There will be four cash tills near the store’s exit, and tills in five of the departments.

Fixtures and fittings include English oak furniture created for the store by Wiltshire-based cabinet maker Coryndon. Reconditioned pendant lights from a former Dunlop factory, milk churns, donkey panniers, an old baker’s sign and a series of World War II public information posters such as ’an admonition to eat your greens’, says Bromovsky, will feature in the store.

In-store graphics by Cada include departmental signs based on Scrabble tiles. The group has also designed the livery for Union Market’s electric delivery van.

Union Market also appointed Here Design last year to work on aspects of the original concept and to create a series of about six posters that will be on sale in the store. Designs include posters featuring about 30 British cheeses, vegetables, and one outlining the store’s sustainable packaging policy. Here Design has also created a local poster advertising campaign and promotional leaflets for the store’s opening.

Union Market’s website was designed by Rare Breed and launched at the start of June, offering an online wine retail service.
Union Market opens on 8 July.