To the untrained eye, different types of gondola shelving look pretty similar. They all have a few key things in common. Gondola shelves are standalone retail fixtures that consist of bases and vertical upright pieces. These upright pieces may be composed of slots and pegboard, a solid board, or a Slatwall panel.
Gondola units can be combined with hooks and accessories or they can be used to install standard shelving. This versatility makes them perfect for almost any retail environment. Store owners who want to know what kind of gondola shelving they already have can send images of their shelves to an expert, or they can read on to find out how to perform a DIY identification.
Key Characteristics of Lozier Shelving
At first glance, Lozier shelving and Madix shelving look very similar, but there are a few differences that can be uncovered through careful observation. To begin with, Lozier shelves have the company’s logo embossed in the trim found on their metal upright end covers. They also feature round perforations and metal top caps instead of plastic ones.
Lozier uprights start at 36″ in height and increase in increments of six inches. The base shelf in Lozier shelving does not lock into an upright position. Those who want to switch to this well-respected brand can find Used Lozier Shelving online at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Key Characteristics of Madix Shelving
Like Lozier shelving units, Madix shelves have round perforations. Madix offers more sizing information on their products, though. The company’s logo will be stamped on the unit’s metal end cover and top spanner, and the depth of the shelf will be stamped on the side of each bracket. The size and height of the unit will also be stamped on the side of the upright near the top.
Structurally, Madix shelving also differs from Lozier shelving in that it has a base shelf that locks into an upright position. Like Lozier, Madix starts its upright sizing at 36″ and increases in increments of six inches.
Key Characteristics of Streater Shelving
Streater shelving is the easiest to identify based on its key characteristics. It typically features a textured paint finish, while Madix and Lozier’s shelves are smooth. It doesn’t have base end covers, and it has a thinner upright channel compared to these other popular brands and has diamond perforations instead of round holes.
Streater shelving uprights start at 38″, which is a little larger than the smallest Madix and Lozier uprights. Like the other major brands described above, Streater also embosses the company name and logo on each unit. Streater also marks all shelving brackets with either “LU” or “RU” and the shelving depth, which can be found on each side of the bracket. Streater units also feature single-slotted uprights on each end and double-slotted center posts, which makes them easier to differentiate from Lozier and Madix brand products.
The Bottom Line
The easiest way to identify what kind of shelving a retail store currently has installed is to send a picture to a gondola shelving expert. Requesting the help of an expert also opens up the door for future conversations about shelving that might be a better fit. Since every retail environment is a little different, there’s no way to generalize about which brand offers the best value. Each business owner must decide for him- or herself.
Alana Groom
Bella Duckworth
Ella Summers
Karin Hoover
Linjo Joson
Molly Milson
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