How Sweetfern Café & Emporium Turned a Small-Town Store into a Boutique Shopping Experience

Location: Irons, Michigan
Project Type: C-store and café hybrid upgrade
Products Used: Lozier Gondola Shelving + Real Birch Wood Slatwall (Paprika stain)

When Sweetfern Café & Emporium decided to refresh their retail space, they weren’t just looking for new fixtures—they were building an experience.

Located deep in Michigan’s Manistee National Forest, Sweetfern is a mix of gourmet café, local market, and laid-back community stop. But their shelving? It needed to do more than just hold product. It needed to support heavy merchandise like wine and liquor, stand up to daily use, and still look sharp. That’s where DGS Retail came in.

The Power of Contrast: Black Metal Meets Warm Wood

Sweetfern installed a mix of Lozier black gondola shelving units with real birch wood slatwall panels, all stained in Paprika—a deep, earthy red-orange that plays perfectly against the matte black steel. The look is refined without feeling overdesigned.

This setup wasn’t just about aesthetics. These units are built for performance:

• End cap displays support up to 1250 lbs

• Island gondolas hold up to 2100 lbs

• Shelves are rated at 500 lbs flat, 250 lbs at a tilt

Sweetfern uses them to showcase everything from wine bottles and sauces to packaged snacks and gift items—all displayed cleanly, with the structure to back it up.

Retail with Intention

Every fixture in Sweetfern's layout was chosen with purpose.

• End caps were added to drive impulse purchases and seasonal displays.

• Island runs help define the store flow.

• Wall units give structure without eating up space.

They also added tilt-in TL shelves, which not only support heavy weight but angle products forward for better visibility. Tag holders, sign accessories, and shelf dividers round out the system, making it easy to update and reconfigure as needed.

This is a great example of how modular fixtures can support creativity without sacrificing function.

What Sets It Apart

• Durable Lozier steel construction for long-term reliability

• Real birch wood slatwall panels, custom-stained to match the brand

• Flexible shelf options to handle high-capacity displays

• Clean, modern look that fits small towns and urban spaces alike

Built to Inspire Other Retailers

With the right shelving and a strong point of view, they turned a standard shop floor into something memorable. It’s proof that thoughtful materials and layout make all the difference.

At DGS Retail, we help stores of all sizes do just that. Whether you're designing a new layout or updating key fixtures, we’ll help you build displays that are both beautiful and built to last.

Let’s talk about your store.
Contact us to learn more about custom-stained slatwall options, fixture planning, and free store layout support.