Museum Pitstop: Brand As Museum

Making a pitstop at the museum is taking on a whole new meaning! ⛽️

I’ve been following an interesting trend: iconic brands are increasingly stepping into the role of cultural stewards by opening their own museums & archives. The latest news is that Love’s Travel Stops is transforming "Store #1" in Watonga, Oklahoma, into a museum.

Other brands have taken this on as well:
IKEA Museum: Located in the very first IKEA store, it offers a deep dive into the brand's history.
The SPAM Museum: A quirky destination perfectly worthy of the SPAM name.
The Harley-Davidson Museum: Looking at a product that's become a culture.

The Museum Store 🛍️

When a brand creates a museum, the store becomes the ultimate tool for engagement. It allows them to:

✔️ Curate Exclusive Heritage Merch: Perhaps it's developing replicas of original Love’s memorabilia, or a desktop-sized "Billy" bookcase for your stationery. Heritage merch is a nod to history while creating exclusive must-have merchandise for your brand's biggest fans.
✔️ Turn Customers into Collectors: By treating the brand as history and maintaining an archive, products become a tangible piece of the brand's timeline.
✔️ Bridge The Brand With Their Purpose: These stores connect the brand's mission and values directly with the consumer, providing a deeper look at the innovation and identity that sets them apart in their field.

Whether it is an art collection or a 1960s gas station, every space has a story that can be unlocked and shared.

What brand would you love to see open a museum? (I’m still holding out for a Costco Museum! 🌭)

Ready to unlock the profit and purpose in your museum store? Let’s connect and grow your earned revenue impact together!

Image: Love’s Travel Stop Logo