Wasn’t too long ago that pundits predicted the end of physical storefronts.
Now, in an ironic twist, the very forces of digital commerce that were supposed to do in brick-and-mortar have become hot for commercial real estate.
Two of the biggest proponents are smart-home contenders Amazon and Google. The e-tailer has opened bookstores, pop-up shops and in-store Kohl’s sections across the country, while the search engine giant is plying its proprietary Home products via temporary holiday stores in New York and Los Angeles.
TWICE visited two of these physical manifestations, which provide further proof that the corner store is here to stay.
Amazon operates 13 bookstores (with three more on the way), including two in New York. This one’s located in the heavily trafficked Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.
A live Kindle bookshelf display
A smart-home display
A live Kindle bookshelf display
The CE section: Amazon Books also carries non-proprietary tech, including Sonos smart speakers, Bose headphones, SanDisk memory cards, and Wink and Philips smart products.
The Echo assortment
The kiddie corner
Blue-hoodied associates are stationed throughout the showroom. Visitors are welcome to play, linger and buy.
The new Google Home Max
A “Stranger Things” AR experience
Customers can command common household devices in this Google Home vignette.
The VR experience, via Google’s Daydream View glasses
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