Google Has Built Its First Store

Welcome to the First Google Store

If this first store is a success, you can expect to see more Google Stores around the globe.

What Exactly Does the Google Store Aim to Do?

Let's just say that they've noticed what made Apple Stores so darn successful.

The Google Store will try to: 

• Showcase and sell their products such as Pixel phones, Fitbit trackers, Pixelbooks, smart home devices, and plenty more.
• Focus on how their products integrate. Like Apple, they want to get you hooked on the ecosystem and the power that's harnessed when you've got all your devices on the same wavelength and under one umbrella.
• Give customers access to in-store experts to help with any problems, get people set up, as well as utilize the “how-to workshop” model that Apple made so famous.
• Let people play. When it's safe to do say, they want people to come in and get creative, and have some fun. To fiddle around and see what they can create with devices or programs they are unfamiliar with.
• Pick up online orders.

As Google notes in a blog post, “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a longtime Pixel user, are curious about our Nest displays or want to participate in one of the how-to workshops we’ll offer throughout the year — our team will be able to provide you with help that’s specific and personalized to your needs.

Why is the First Google Store in New York?

For one, The Google Store Chelsea (located at 15th and 9th) will be a natural extension of their headquarters (or “urban campus” as they call it) that's already in the neighbourhood.

Not to mention, there are over 11,000 Google NYC employees. We figured there'd be a lot, but still, that's a lot.

Google has also had routes in NYC for a couple of decades now, so it makes perfect sense.

In the company's public statement, they sum things up by noting that this first location is “an important next step in our hardware journey of providing the most helpful experience of Google, wherever and whenever people need it. We look forward to meeting many of our customers and hearing their feedback on the store, so we can continue to explore and experiment with the possibilities of a physical retail space and build upon the experience.”

It'll be interesting to track how this impacts Google, and whether there may be possibilities for Android or Google oriented creators to run their own sessions at stores down the line, or partner with Google in creative ways. 

Suffice to say, we aren't betting against them on this one.