ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Can design make you thirsty or hungry? Don’t rule it out, because store design is one of the most critical elements in retail, and the subject of the latest NACS Convenience Matters podcast.

Design is even more critical at convenience stores because the experience has to be fast. Joe Bona, founder and president of MoseleyBona Retail, speaks about new design trends and how they vary around the world in this week’s podcast.

Bona says that great design means quickly communicating your offer as soon as a customer walks in—and that you are essentially “managing the chaos” of their daily routines. He also provides suggestions for how good design can complement overall store merchandising and marketing.

“Our podcasts are designed to share insights to both those within the industry and to the 160 customers who visit our stores every day,” said podcast co-host Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “We are getting excellent feedback from listeners who say that they appreciate our industry a little bit more after learning about how we operate.”

A new Convenience Matters podcast will be released every Monday, focusing on topics related to convenience stores.