Zoe owns Grassroots Books in Reno, NV and is exploring how to make these concepts work in a small retail operation. They are just getting started, but are finding lots of opportunities.
When talking to her last night, she mentioned she would like to network with other people who are trying to apply these concepts in non-traditional arenas.
In response, I created a new forum on The Lean Thinker’s Community. It is called “Outside the Factory” and is intended as a gathering place for practitioners and others who want to discuss how to apply TPS in non-manufacturing environments.
I would love to see some synergy develop there, and intend to fully participate as well. Stop in and say “Hello.”
A great starting point is to follow the journey Starbucks is taking. Here is a good discussion to begin with, leading back to the WSJ article that first began the media coverage
http://www.shmula.com/starbucks-why-lean-why-now/5639/