Pioneer Plans To Add Three More Company Stores

LONG BEACH, CALIF. — Two years after opening its first company-operated store in the United States, Pioneer says it plans to open three additional locations this year.

The stores, like their forerunner, will showcase and sell the company's full home-entertainment line, as well as several products exclusive to Pioneer's direct-sale program.

Locations and opening dates have not yet been finalized, the company said.

Craig McManis, strategic marketing VP for Pioneer Electronics (USA), said the "overwhelming success" of the original site, located in Orange County, Calif., prompted the company to expand the concept. "The first Pioneer store has exceeded our expectations," he told TWICE. "We have found that consumers truly value being able to experience the full range of our product offerings, from sound to source to display, which is something they may not be able to do in other retail locations."

McManis said the Pioneer stores also offer the comfort of buying directly from a manufacturer, and serve as an educational resource for consumers whether they buy there or through an authorized dealer.

"While some may not choose to purchase at that time, they come away with a greater understanding of their options in the marketplace," he said.

Products exclusive to the Pioneer stores include Hamada Credenza furniture with built-in audio, Whiskey Barrel loudspeakers and a forthcoming line of high-performance headphones.

McManis, who previously handled national accounts sales and home electronics marketing for Pioneer USA, spearheaded the company's direct-sale efforts two years ago with the development of an e-commerce site and the creation of the first Pioneer store — adding it to the ranks of CE vendors Apple, Bose, Dell, Nokia and Sony, which all operate retail stores. — Additional reporting by Alan Wolf