Bloomfield Hills, Mich. — Sharp Electronics has reached a deal with developer Taubman Centers to equip 10 of its shopping centers with high-definition television lounges.
When they debut this summer, the AQUOS Entertainment Lounges will mark Sharp’s first national alliance with a shopping center developer, the company said.
The lounges are designed to give shoppers “a comfortable respite area to experience,” Sharp said. They will be outfitted with one to three AQUOS full 1080p HD LCD televisions, with screen sizes ranging from 42 inches to 65 inches. Each will display HD content from a variety of sources, including live sports, entertainment and news programming in each community.
“This innovative alliance will allow Taubman’s traditionally affluent shoppers, a core demographic for Sharp, to experience the beauty of AQUOS while shopping,” said David Goldberg, Taubman’s marketing and sponsorship VP. “Sharp is helping us create a relaxing spot to take a break and watch one of the most advanced LCD TVs on the market.”
Shopping centers scheduled to have AQUOS Entertainment Lounges include: Beverly Center, Los Angeles; Cherry Creek, Denver; Dolphin Mall, Miami; Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, Va.; International Plaza, Tampa, Fla.; Northlake Mall, Charlotte, N.C.; The Mall at Short Hills, Short Hills, N.J.; Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi, Mich.; Woodfield Shopping Center, Schaumburg, Ill.; and The Shops at Willow Bend, Plano, Texas.
Beginning in the fall, the centers will also host a nine-day “tour” of Sharp’s complete AQUOS full HD LCD TV product lineup. Guests will be shown fully interactive displays highlighting more than 10 different models, Sharp said.
The initiative is the extension of a tour that Sharp conducted at Taubman malls last year.
To kick-off the national alliance, Taubman will showcase four 46-inch Sharp AQUOS LCD TVs at its trade show booth at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) convention beginning May 21 in Las Vegas.
