A lot has to deal with what time of day the dj is playing. Like the weekend can have more of the festive vibe while the morning during the weekday can be more chill.

It’s the djs duty to rotate some new jams in the rotation so the workers are not hearing the same songs over and over again. Every time I do a retail event I create a new playlist so no one can say I play the same songs over and over again. Why play the original song that everyone knows? Play a song everybody knows but with a new beat and feel to it. Find out what the theme that the store is focused on. Also keep in mind that it is not a night club and keep the volume at a modest level. You do not want the patrons to be screaming over the blissful beats that you are playing.

When I do play people love the diversity of the music. It is about seeing who is in the crowd and feeding them. When I mention feeding them, I mean keep on giving them what they want. I like to go disco, then maybe funk, Motown, then some 80s 90s and 2000s. Its not all about playing the same things you hear on the radio but playing songs folks can appreciate it. Just make sure you are keeping tabs with management on what they want plus keep an eye on the workers and patrons to keep on giving them what they want and that’s the vibe!

 We are living in a Barbie world at the moment. Seem like that movie is blowing up and they were having a Barbie theme at the Brea Mall. All the cosmetic section was sporting Barbie shirts. I have been at this mall a few times already and it was being a good time every time. Most djs could just come by and just start playing what they feel but for me I have to prep since I don’t want to play the same kind of music over and over. I want it to be different every time I play. I had the instruction to play fun positive music. Most folks who play at retail stores usually play a certain type of music and let it ride the whole time. That is not me and I want it to be as diverse as possible. There were at least 8 folks who came by to tell me they liked the diversity of the music. I talked to one worker who stated the dj before playing 90s  songs over a house beat. That could be fun but a little of the same. I try to find songs that everyone knows and play it in the original format as possible. We did play a lot of Spanish cumbias and did a lot of old school music. This time we did 90s alternative, freestyle, 90s house, 90s pop, cumbia, Spanish ranchera. I even threw in Barbie Girl since it was the theme. Most djs would be afraid to play that but I have no fear. It was a very fun vibe at the Brea mall.

Djing in retail stores does not just happen in Christmas time. It can happen anytime and I played in May at the Brea Mall last Saturday by the Make Up Area. Love playing at Nordstrom since they have a booth of their own so it just makes it easy to set up. The staff is very helpful and let me borrow a cart to load my gear on so I can do everything in one shot. Love the energy of the staff since a lot of them love the music and sway with the vibes. They even gave some cool requests to. Songs that seemed to be big hits were the funk and the Spanish songs. Why play the same tracks everyone else plays? Its best too go against the grain and not be the same cookie cutter dj who plays the same songs every time.

  The theme was flower that day so we made sure we played a couple of different edits of Miley Cyrus Flower song. Lots of people did stroll by but the goal was to get the heads bobbing. I did all pop and feel good songs and I threw in some Latin songs in the mix. I think we did play over 10 Latin songs in the 5-hour session. If you think about it, California is full of latin people so why not throw some Latin flavor in the mix. Why not throw some reggaeton and come cumbia songs? Speaking of 5 hours, it felt like 15 minutes since playing music for me is super fan and trying to be creative with the mixes and playing songs that go together.

  They had a grand opening at Valley Fair. That mall is forever growing and keeping up with  Santana Row. We got the chance to work with Classic Tees. It is a shirt store for Middle Age Men and younger men too. These are shirts that look good on men. And they opened up a new location at Valley Fair.

We were playing from 2 too 7. They had a wheel where customers could win prizes. They did  have a vintage arcade game there too.  The vibe was fun and festive. Music does make and break the occasion. The music we collaborated with were the 80s. 90s 00s and 10s and some current hip songs. We love getting that large array of music to work with. The people working the store were quite polite and welcoming. We see big things happening for this store and let’s welcome this cool place to the Bay Area!

Bloomingdales at Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles Dj serving Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena)

It is holiday season and it is time to dj for some retail stores. I was in Sherman Oaks in Bloomindales and they were very nice. They even helped my carry my heavy gear into the store. Usually my retail store is pop heavy but there was a change. We were adding Christmas songs into the mix. There are so many Christmas songs so the question is what works with the crowd. With so much to choose for, what would be the go tos? We can go with the originals, or the covers or we do with the updated remixes with the orginal vocals but with a different beat.

I started off with the Christmas songs. I got the best reactions from the original songs. These are the songs people used to hear when they were children. The second best reactions were the covers that were similar to the original song. But I threw in a few remixes but just a few. Then I went back to pop feel good music.

Usually I am in these spaces for 4 to 5 hours. It is the quickest 4 to 5 hours that I have. I am playing fun music and try to get as much mixing as I can. If the people are loving the song then I play it longer. But if everyone is loving the vibe then I continue it while playing a minute a song. I try to go with music that everyone knows. I just feel like if you are playing at a public place you should try to appease the masses.

If you're operating a retail store, you know how important music is to a customer's experience. Hiring a DJ for your pop-up or retail store means you can benefit from a real-time response to customers' reactions. During lulls, a DJ can draw on a wealth of experience to keep customers engaged, in the evening hours an event DJ could play calming music to reduce stress.

Hiring a DJ for Your Retail Store in Three Steps

The purpose of a retail store DJ is to attract customers to your store and get them shopping. If they're not capable of doing that, then the DJ is no better than the radio or a Spotify mix.

For that reason, you should take into consideration three aspects of hiring a DJ for your retail store.

Listen to a Prospective Event DJs Mixes

To understand a DJ's knowledge of music, you should listen to sample mixes; two or three samples should give you an accurate gauge of a DJ's range.

Consider a DJ's Versatility

Hiring a retail store DJ in Los Angeles means you'll need someone who can develop ambiance that would be enjoyed by any shoppers. It also means that your DJ should be able to assess the types of crowds your store is attracting and choose songs that are appealing to that customer. In the beginning, your retail store DJ may not know shopper patterns and demographics, but over time, observant DJs will pick up on these patterns and home in on them to leverage better sales volumes.

Test their Ability to Emcee

A retail store DJ should be an excellent speaker and emcee. Using one, you can announce deals, launch new products, and even map the customer's path through the store.

If your DJ has passed the previous assessments, ask them to send a sample of a one-line phrase that includes terms and themes commonly used in your store. For example, "Today only, 25 percent off Frame jeans."

You're listening for clarity and conviction. The kind of retail store DJ that would entice you to check out the jeans.

Of course, your dialog will change to reflect your store or target demographic; alternatively, you could ask the DJ to create one.

What Type of Music Would Be Good for Retail Stores

Once you've hired a DJ, knowing the kind of music that you should be playing in your store or pop-up will give them a foundation they can use to create mixes.

80s Songs

80s pop music is often inoffensive, clean, and nostalgic. Even younger crowds appreciate some of the music as it seems vintage.

90s Songs

90s music is effective for the same reason 80s music is: it builds nostalgia, which triggers dopamine — the brain's happy hormone. Associating your store with this music will cause customers to — inadvertently — make a positive connection to your store.

Contemporary Music

If your retail store appeals to a younger audience, contemporary music will unlock dopamine in their brains when you're playing music relevant to their experiences.

Of course, there's more to being a retail store DJ than playing 80s music. You need to let the crowd — in this case, shoppers — direct the mix.

As a Los Angeles retail store DJ, I understand the impact a good mix can have on a business, and I aim to do what's best for your business. Please contact Black and White Affair. We are not a dj service but we are a Dj experience.

Music can totally change the vibe of a store. I lived the majority of my life in the bay area. Recently I have moved to Southern California and I noticed a few differences. I noticed the lines are longer in Southern California and they are a little more adventurous with their music selection.  I noticed it at a Trader Joes. I saw people lip syncing to the words and grooving to Young Michael Jackson and played Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms. Music does enhance the customer experience and that is what Retailers should strive for.

 First and foremost, you have to know your clientele. If your clients are over 40 then you can do 80s and 90s music. Thanks to the popularity of Tic Tok and lot of the younger generation has been influenced by older music. Some managers of retail stores may make the mistake of suggesting music that they like but what is important is that the dj is playing music for the shoppers. They want to feed into the brand.

  Different stores require different playlists. The dj should know about the shoppers to create a playlist. This playlist is used as a base but at the same time they can add songs on the fly at the event.

 Not every store would want wedding dance music, but the dj should be an open format dj which means they have expertise in different genres of music. Maybe it is an indie vibe and the dj can play covers of popular songs. Maybe the store would benefit from some electronic music (house music). The dj should have an idea in mind but may need to change songs in the playlist.

Also a store does not need subwoofers but the dj can bring some 8inch to 15 inch speakers would suffice. Music does not need to be loud where the customers have to raise their voice to talk.  

If people are bobbing their head or smiling when a transition takes place the dj is doing a good job.

Consider Black and White Affair (www.bwadj.com)  as your retail dj. We play all sorts of music and would provide a custom playlist for each event. If Spanish Latin hits are needed, then we have all those songs up our sleeve. We do love old school and setting cool vibes for all retail stores we play at.