Intel today announced that it will open its first ever “pop-up” stores in major cities in the U.S. The stores will appear starting next week in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
The idea behind the stores, according to Intel, will be to highlight tablets, notebooks, PCs, and hybrid devices that are based on the company’s processors. Customers will be able to browse a variety of devices and “Intel technology experts” will be on-hand to provide shopping and tech advice. The stores will also allow customers to take devices home for a test-drive before purchasing them.
“The Intel pop-up stores are designed to be far more than a traditional retail or product showcase, but rather an experience,” said Kevin Sellers, director of Creative Services at Intel. “We’re engaging the local community with a daily schedule of events and entertainment, while offering hands-on access to, and in-store demonstrations of, the latest Intel-based devices available for the holidays – all in a fun, relaxed neighborhood environment.”
Instead of being static showroom floors Intel’s stores will be dynamic, changing in purpose throughout each day. Intel stated that each store will begin as a “community hub” when they open, then shift to become a “technology showcase” in the afternoon. During the evenings the stores will become “an entertainment hot spot.” Activities available at the stores will be changing daily, with community speakers speaking on various topics and free movies being screened on Fridays.
To better position the stores as a community initiative, Intel has chosen what it considers to be trendy locations. The store in Los Angeles will be located in Venice, while the Chicago and New York locations will be in Lincoln Park and Nolita, respectively. The New York Intel pop-up store will open on Saturday, November 23 and the other two locations will open early next week. All of the stores will stay open throughout the holidays and close on January 25, 2014.
