Apartment 32 opened last night its SoHo flagship store on West Braodway.
It’s flagship retail store is laid out to look like a swank apartment and the store’s employees are referred to as “residents” and shoppers as “house guests”. There is also a “house rule” where customers are asked to “leave your [smartphone] at the door”.
The president of the Weatherproof, the parent-company of Apartment 32/ Weatherproof 32°, Freddie Stollmack explains: “We’re providing a great venue for people to visit, put their feet up, and enjoy face-to-face conversation. People can actually get to know each other without the help of an electronic device!”
The at-home atmosphere extends to “relax[ing] on the couch, drink a cup of espresso and chat with other customers.”
And, the approach includes “date night” to attract device-free singles via Facebook every Thursday night for extended hours and cocktails.
Weatherproof gained a lot of attention when Obama wore one of their jackets while visiting the Great Wall of China in 2010, now termed “the Obama jacket”.
Apartment 32 is hoping to start a trend and not be confused with another passé shop Apartment (was on Crosby Street in SoHo) that had attempted a similar home-y feel. The problem was “its employees pretended to live there, and everything in the store (outfitted like an apartment — hence the name) was for sale, so it was like an Ikea come to life — with customers as voyeurs, and the good-looking employees as faux residents acting oblivious, like it was their home.”
via PSFK, Brand Channel, newyork.nearsay