Lawyers as Retailers

In this interview, retail consultant Paco Underhill answered the question, "What are some of the more innovative things you're looking at and seeing in the physical world of retailing?" His response:

Some are the trends to edu-tainment. Where people have realized that if they give people other reasons to come to the store, people stop worrying about prices. I was at a beautiful store yesterday here in Chicago called American Girl, which is sort of an actualization of the fantasy life of a doll. There's a little lunchroom where you can bring your doll, and little chairs so your doll can sit at the table with you. You could buy matching sets of doll clothes and then clothes for you, for your kid. I mean, the whole thing was wonderful, but it was also very scary. Look at Restoration Hardware, where you go in and sort of get lost in stuff.

Can law firms give people other reasons to engage their lawyers (come into the store)? If so, does providing ancillary services your clients value in an atmosphere they like make them more likely to stop worrying about your price?

There is a law firm I've heard of in Urbana, Illinois that has a pool table and bar on the third floor of its office in a renovated old building. They often ask clients to, "Come by for a beer and shoot some pool." What a cool idea.

Thanks to Marginal Revolution for the link to the Underhill interview.