Tabletops: Going Meta
Going Meta
Anytime a technology company opens its first retail store, I take notice. This time, it's Meta:
From the Meta Newsroom:
Today, we’re announcing Meta Store — our first physical retail space, which will open May 9 on our campus in Burlingame, California. In the Meta Store, you’ll be able to get hands-on experience with all our hardware products.
Through interactive demos, you can make video calls to retail associates with Meta Portal, learn how Ray-Ban Stories can help you stay present with the world around you, and explore the magic of VR with a first-of-its-kind immersive Meta Quest 2 demo.
Over the past few years, it's become less fashionable to clone Apple Stores. This is a good thing for Apple and a good thing for you. Unimaginative clones commodify the Apple Store experience and bring nothing engaging to the retail space. They don't push the needle.
The Meta Store is decidedly not an Apple Store clone. It's relatively cozy and designed to be an on-campus hub where you can explore the metaverse. Whether or not you'd use a Meta product or believe in the idea of the metaverse is irrelevant to our discussion today. We're here to talk retail stores.
Like the new Google Store Chelsea, the Meta Store highlights specific experiences. Both feel a lot like pop-up stores or big CES booths with focused, short-term goals. I like the idea.
In fact, I like the idea enough to suggest that it might be worthwhile for Apple to invest in more pop-ups. Four years ago, Apple closed the last of its three Apple Watch pop-up shops. SXSW 2011 was headlined by an iPad 2 pop-up store. Apple Stores today are filled with modular fixtures that can be built at scale and quickly deployed to teams around the world. They could do it. Remember, this is the company that projected AirPods dancers onto the face of the entire GM building—just for some weekend fun!
There are plenty of shopping districts and retail-friendly public spaces perfect for single-purpose displays that just can't fit in most Apple Stores today. New product launches could be even more fun with pop-up retail experiences in the mix. What do you think?
Sidenote: I couldn't resist pointing out one quote in Meta's press release:
“Once people experience the technology, they can gain a better appreciation for it. If we did our job right, people should leave and tell their friends, ‘You’ve got to go check out the Meta Store.’” – Martin Gilliard, Head of Meta Store
Angela Ahrendts, April 2017:
"I told the teams, I'll know we've done a really really great job if the next generation, if Gen Z says, 'Meet me at Apple. Did you see what's going on at Apple today?'
🤔
Avenue jog
A new Apple Watch Nike bay has been added to Apple Park Visitor Center. This design reinterprets Nike Sport Bands as a running track. For those keeping pace at home, the display bumps the AirPods Max bay, which was added in December 2020. This is the first time Nike bands have enjoyed a spotlight in the Avenue.
If you stop by the Visitor Center and would like to send photos, I'll gladly share a closer look at this beautiful design in a future issue. For now, enjoy the passing glance above.
Featured image
Apple The Grove
Photo via herre16 on Instagram.