Context Over Location Doctrine

“Context, context, context! For years I had heard the business mantra, “Location, location, location”—an ironclad principle that the key to the success for any retail establishment was picking the right address to set up shop. My own experience indicates that a far more significant contributor to success is context. A powerful example is Tiffany’s famous blue box. The box is the context that provides a strong indication of what you can expect to find inside. Whatever is in that box may not be the exact gift you were anticipating, but it must be entirely consistent with your expectations of something that belongs in a Tiffany box. The box enhances the value of the object inside; and conversely, the object inside supports and further defines the meaning of the blue box. That’s not location. That’s context!”

“Second, Bryan wrote that the sensitive design made Union Square Cafe feel like “part of the neighborhood, not something imposed on it.” Reading his words helped me understand that what I was doing intuitively was actually working. I have made that an intentional strategy for every single restaurant I’ve opened since.”