“Retailtainment” is the name of the game. Innovative, interactive, experiential retail concepts aren’t just the future anymore- we can experience it today. The big show is showcasing big new ideas, including virtual store tours of groundbreaking store concepts right here in NYC. So when Cynthia Hirsch Ortiz, President of the Retail Design Institute highlighted the city’s “must-see” spaces, we knew we had to check a few out.

Building blocks for interactive retail: a look at LEGO’s Flagship store in NYC

Stepping on a Lego is no laughing matter but stepping into the flagship LEGO store is an incredible thing. The brand’s two-story experience offers incredible sights, including an 880,000-block Tree of Discovery, recognizable shapes from the iconic New York City skyline, to the friendly faces of our favorite characters from the Avengers, Ghostbusters, Star Wars, and more. 

But the flagship store is not just an incredible display of virtual merchandise. You’re invited to interact in new ways. Take a seat in a taxi cab made entirely of LEGOs, craft a customized character from the LEGO Minifigure Factory, and even step into the Personalization Studio where you can create a portrait from LEGO bricks. While the empire state building winks and smiles at you, this space invites you to wonder, with these building blocks… what’s next?

Step into the future of shoe shopping at the Nike NYC House of Innovation 000

Sneaker innovation has a new and immersive home, and it’s in Manhattan. Nike’s landmark covers five floors and over 68,000 square feet, and every inch reinforces the brand vision. Even the facade and entryway are designed disruptively, with an eye-catching facade and an entryway that models the starting block of a race.

Once you’ve set foot into the immaculately designed Flagship, the experience is unparalleled. With the Nike app, the entire store can be navigated via QR codes. Add garments to your virtual dressing room, quickly purchase grab-and-go classic mainstay items, check out with your phone, or get creative with the countless customizable on-demand options with Nike By You. You can explore the Sneaker Lab, home to the largest collection of Nike footwear in the world, or head to the Expert Studio for a truly personal and personalized experience. It’s no doubt that Nike has captured the sole of innovation here.

Stretching through innovation: how Lululemon’s Flagship store gets to the core of experiential retail

When life gives you lemons, make sure they’re Lulu’s! And when it comes to brick-and-mortar retail, Lululemon has made lemonade. 

We visited the brand’s 23,000 sq. ft. 5th Avenue Global Flagship with 4 floors of retail space. The space includes an entire mezzanine dedicated to the MIRROR, a nearly invisible home gym, and an on-site Joinery that offers complimentary hemming and repair. Top notch customer experience included an up-close-and-personal look at the MIRROR, we could glimpse past the sleek and elegant design into thousands of studio classes with virtual instructors. Lululemon has given shoppers so much to reflect on!  

Zipline is proud to support brands like these that are redefining what “shopping” means in today’s modern retail environment. We’re dedicated to providing resources to trailblazing brands that are innovating the future at maximum scale. Start innovating today.

Didn’t get to make NRF this year? We walked all over NYC so you don’t have to! On Thursday, February 3, Zipline is hosting a virtual event, NRF FOMO, to bring the stuff you really miss about NRF – the cool swag, the industry’s hottest trends, and the networking – straight to you.

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