No more Google retail store in New York for tech enthusiasts, even though it has been teased for a while that the major company will be opening a new shop.
- The Google retail store in NYC would’ve been in SoHo, at 131 Greene Street
- It was an over 5,400 square foot building
- Google invested $6 million in renovations before dropping the project
- The company is now looking to sub-lease it for $2.25 million per year
Google was looking to finally make a store all for itself. The concept enough sounded rather exciting, as it has been long missing a proper place to boast and display its products. The plans were made, the place was leased, but it’s now no longer happening. It’s unfortunate news indeed.
A physical store to view, test, and buy products from the giant tech company would’ve been an interesting place to visit. Google had plans of promoting their products such as Chromebooks, Android devices, tablets, and likely the new Nexus line at their very own venue. If anyone has seen the inside of Google headquarters, they would understand why the concept of a shop had people excited.
The company was meant to follow in suit after others, such as Apple or Microsoft, both of which have their own retail stores opened in New York City. Google was moving forward with its plans, leasing a 5,442 square feet building in SoHo, at 131 Greene Street. The shopping district is littered with big brand names, such as Tiffany, Dior, Louis Vuiton, or Sonos.
The Google retail store would’ve fit right in, but the company has reportedly axed their project. After making renovations worth $6 million, they will no longer be using the revamped building. Instead, they will be looking to sub-lease the location for $2.25 million per year.
Indeed though, it’s a heavy promotional angle to take ‘Google’s building’, and has likely resulted in great popularity for that particular spot. However, it does not make the news any more disappointing.
It’s not the first time Google decides to cancel their plans of making a physical retail store for their customers. In 2013, they made attempts at creating dedicated stores for selling Google Glass, but the project never panned out. It would’ve been a place for users to try out the futuristic headwear. It ended up as another concept that didn’t make it to fruition.
No word has come out yet why the company decided to drop another project. In fact, it bred more questions on whether Google is closing the lid on the retail store in New York, or they’re generally tapping out of making their own stores.
Image source: designtaxi.com
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.