Google rumored to open first retail store near Apple's SoHo spot in Manhattan
Google is said to be close to signing a lease to open a retail store on Greene Street in New York City's SoHo neighborhood -- just steps away from Apple's heavily trafficked location on Prince Street.
Apple's current SoHo store reopened after renovations in 2012.
The search giant is said to be in talks to lease property at 131 Greene St., a report published by Crain's revealed this week. If the plans come to pass, it would be the first-ever retail store for Google, which is generally known as a services company but has increasingly stepped into the hardware business.
The location reportedly being eyed by Google is less than 300 feet from the entrance to the SoHo Apple Store, located at 103 Prince St. That location has been open since July of 2002, and underwent major renovations in 2012 to bring it up to speed with Apple's other large flagship stores around New York City.
Google apparently hopes it will be able to cash in on the booming neighborhood to make a splash with its own retail debut. The rumored plans call for Google to open an 8,000-square-foot store on the section of Greene Street between Prince and Houston streets.
While the company doesn't make very much of its own hardware, and even took a step back in the hardware space by selling off Motorola Mobility, an official Google store could be a place for the company to push its own Google Glass initiative once it becomes available to consumers. Google could also highlight its Nexus-branded phones and tablets, which are created through partnerships with third-party manufacturers like LG, Asus and Samsung.
Google's mystery San Francisco barge | Source: CNET
Google is also rumored to be expanding its Nexus lineup with a new smart watch the company is said to be planning to unveil at this year's I/O developer conference in June. The new device is said to be the result of a partnership between LG and Google, and it is expected to run a new operating system intended for wearable electronics.
Placing fledgling retail efforts within proximity of existing Apple Store locations is not a new strategy --?Microsoft employed the same tactic years ago, though it focused largely on competing with Apple's mall locations rather than flagship standalone stores.
Google has also made waves with four mysterious floating barges that are rumored to be utilized as a way to introduce its Google Glass headset to the public, once the product is ready to be launched. The floating structures have been docked at major ports on both the east and west coasts of the U.S., specifically San Francisco, Portland, Connecticut, and New England.
Apple's current SoHo store reopened after renovations in 2012.
The search giant is said to be in talks to lease property at 131 Greene St., a report published by Crain's revealed this week. If the plans come to pass, it would be the first-ever retail store for Google, which is generally known as a services company but has increasingly stepped into the hardware business.
The location reportedly being eyed by Google is less than 300 feet from the entrance to the SoHo Apple Store, located at 103 Prince St. That location has been open since July of 2002, and underwent major renovations in 2012 to bring it up to speed with Apple's other large flagship stores around New York City.
Google apparently hopes it will be able to cash in on the booming neighborhood to make a splash with its own retail debut. The rumored plans call for Google to open an 8,000-square-foot store on the section of Greene Street between Prince and Houston streets.
While the company doesn't make very much of its own hardware, and even took a step back in the hardware space by selling off Motorola Mobility, an official Google store could be a place for the company to push its own Google Glass initiative once it becomes available to consumers. Google could also highlight its Nexus-branded phones and tablets, which are created through partnerships with third-party manufacturers like LG, Asus and Samsung.
Google's mystery San Francisco barge | Source: CNET
Google is also rumored to be expanding its Nexus lineup with a new smart watch the company is said to be planning to unveil at this year's I/O developer conference in June. The new device is said to be the result of a partnership between LG and Google, and it is expected to run a new operating system intended for wearable electronics.
Placing fledgling retail efforts within proximity of existing Apple Store locations is not a new strategy --?Microsoft employed the same tactic years ago, though it focused largely on competing with Apple's mall locations rather than flagship standalone stores.
Google has also made waves with four mysterious floating barges that are rumored to be utilized as a way to introduce its Google Glass headset to the public, once the product is ready to be launched. The floating structures have been docked at major ports on both the east and west coasts of the U.S., specifically San Francisco, Portland, Connecticut, and New England.
Comments
A Google store?
So when in SoHo I can go in there to ask questions/directions rather than search online?
Excellent! A bit less convenient than "Googlng" on my iPhone but hey, I suppose they think it's innovative.....
So a Google Store is financially viable… how?
I guess you could copy and paste an Apple Store and then show giant ads instead of the banners on the walls, product information plaques, and on every screen of every device.
I think I did a mockup of that once, too.
To sell what exactly?!
Samsung products? Paper copies of maps? Vaporware?
To sell what exactly?!
Samsung products? Paper copies of maps? Vaporware?
You keep forgetting, the customers of a Google Store would be advertisers. People walking, or straying into them are the product.
Mor proof that Google is the next Microsoft.
Looking forward to the Christmas comparison pictures of the two stores customer population.
Reckon they'll just auction off anyone who walks in the door.
I like gmail, google search and youtube but at this point I see Google as a clone of Samsung (keep on copying till death) and not at all American.
I really want Apple to come up with its own Search Engine in a big big way. This is when Google gets Hiroshima, Nagasaki experience!
To sell what exactly?!
Samsung products? Paper copies of maps? Vaporware?
This is my question too...WTH are they going to offer and how is it going to make money for them and not someone else? The only thing I could see is a separate section for google only stuff like if they make another pure Google Android phone, the Chromecast thingy and stuff like that. I guess maybe they could have another section for regular Android phones but other than maybe making money off advertising from using the phone, I can't see how it will make any money for them. Unless, they're not concerned with making money off a store like Microsoft does.
Mor proof that Google is the next Microsoft.
It's a race between Google and Amazon.
To sell what exactly?!
Samsung products? Paper copies of maps? Vaporware?
Okay kiosks to print out maps would at least be a real thing. Not precisely 21st Century, but at least a sort of real thing..... with all the likely stores you'd be interested in given the file they already have on you (and who they charge to get highlighted)? A "helpful brother", Big is just a no matter....
i'm sure the 150,000-250,000 people vaporized and countless others burned and maimed and wounded appreciate that.
Is there nothing that Google will not steal from Apple? They are worse than Samsung!
Here is the Google Genius at the new store
So what does and ad agency store look like, never seen a company who sells ad have a store front, will it feature new advertising widgets
I fully expect Google to announce massive losses connected to both their retail efforts and Google Glass in a year or two.
Google will not do that, google glasses and such are all consider R&D expenses and are accounted for as it happens. They write it off as it happens. Unlike M$ who had to write down or off the losses from Surface, since it was no longer an R&D programs and went into production, But hell they are now giving the stuff away for free to school, those poor kids, they should be a law against abusing kids that way.
Time shares in their barges?