Samsung plans London showroom matching size of Apple Regent Street

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Samsung is preparing to launch a new showroom space in London a year from now in a bid to raise its prestige as a brand, a report said on Friday.

A rendering of Coal Drops Yard, which has a 'kissing' curved roof.
A rendering of Coal Drops Yard, which has a 'kissing' curved roof.


The Korean company is finalizing a lease for 20,000 square feet on the top floor of the Coal Drops Yard mall, still under construction, according to two Bloomberg sources. The location is a former Victorian coal store, and Samsung is expected to adopt a design similar to the space it has in New York City's Meatpacking district.

That U.S. site isn't a store, but instead described as "a new kind of place filled with ideas, experiences and Samsung's cutting edge devices." Companies like Google have adopted a similar promotional strategy, content in letting people buy devices online -- or elsewhere -- if they like what they see.

Samsung is likely interested in capturing the same attention as Apple's flagship store on Regent Street, which measures about the same size. Coal Drops Yard won't open until Oct. 2018, however.

Another Apple rival, Microsoft, recently confirmed that it's intending to open a flagship store in London's Oxford Circus, very close to Regent Street. While it has all but abandoned phones, it has been pushing harder into laptops and tablets with its Surface line, most recently announcing the Surface Book 2 -- aimed directly at the MacBook Pro.

Samsung's London footprint will presumably focus on Galaxy S and Note phones --
which compete with Apple's iPhone -- putting products like tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and fitness trackers in the periphery.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    Hope they have good fire suppression.   :)  By coincidence, I was at that very spot about 5 weeks ago.  it's basically alongside a canal and next to another coal warehouse turned into a Waitrose grocery store.  The Waitrose is very nice and I don't doubt the "mall" will be very nice. (It's not a mall in the American sense, more like the size of an office building with multiple shops inside.)  However, the area around King's Cross is sort of down-market and dirty even for London.
    edited October 2017 ajlindyfxwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 16
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I hope their doors handles don't drop off like they did on our almost new Samsung refrigerator and microwave!  Of course ours were not covered by retailer's  extended warranty as apparently handles dropping off due to cheap plastic connectors, is 'fair ware and tear!"
    edited October 2017 caliwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 16
    jasonfjjasonfj Posts: 567member
    williamh said:
    Hope they have good fire suppression.   :)  By coincidence, I was at that very spot about 5 weeks ago.  it's basically alongside a canal and next to another coal warehouse turned into a Waitrose grocery store.  The Waitrose is very nice and I don't doubt the "mall" will be very nice. (It's not a mall in the American sense, more like the size of an office building with multiple shops inside.)  However, the area around King's Cross is sort of down-market and dirty even for London.
    Downmarket and dirty enough for Google and several major ad agencies to move their HQs there. It’s also the home of Central St Martins Art college. I’m just surprised Apple don’t have a store planned there already. 
  • Reply 4 of 16
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    jasonfj said:
    williamh said:
    Hope they have good fire suppression.   :)  By coincidence, I was at that very spot about 5 weeks ago.  it's basically alongside a canal and next to another coal warehouse turned into a Waitrose grocery store.  The Waitrose is very nice and I don't doubt the "mall" will be very nice. (It's not a mall in the American sense, more like the size of an office building with multiple shops inside.)  However, the area around King's Cross is sort of down-market and dirty even for London.
    Downmarket and dirty enough for Google and several major ad agencies to move their HQs there. It’s also the home of Central St Martins Art college. I’m just surprised Apple don’t have a store planned there already. 
    You're right, I didn't know that.  Doesn't change the fact that the area is a bit gross.  Better for offices than for a showroom.  It didn't feel like the place Apple would put a store.  I didn't go by any Apple Store in London that I recall, but in Scotland they were in the best shopping areas. 
    And to correct my previous post, I was there about 7 months ago and not 5 weeks ago. (different trip)
  • Reply 5 of 16
    williamh said:
    jasonfj said:
    williamh said:
    Hope they have good fire suppression.   :)  By coincidence, I was at that very spot about 5 weeks ago.  it's basically alongside a canal and next to another coal warehouse turned into a Waitrose grocery store.  The Waitrose is very nice and I don't doubt the "mall" will be very nice. (It's not a mall in the American sense, more like the size of an office building with multiple shops inside.)  However, the area around King's Cross is sort of down-market and dirty even for London.
    Downmarket and dirty enough for Google and several major ad agencies to move their HQs there. It’s also the home of Central St Martins Art college. I’m just surprised Apple don’t have a store planned there already. 
    You're right, I didn't know that.  Doesn't change the fact that the area is a bit gross.  Better for offices than for a showroom.  It didn't feel like the place Apple would put a store.  I didn't go by any Apple Store in London that I recall, but in Scotland they were in the best shopping areas. 
    And to correct my previous post, I was there about 7 months ago and not 5 weeks ago. (different trip)
    What ever happened to the space across the street from the Regent Street Apple Store? At one point Nokia occupied that space. Nokia's store was a dreadful place to visit, especially in comparison with the Apple Store across the street. There wasn't much in the way of product-a dozen or so candybar and flip-style phones and a few accessories in a space far too big for such meager wares. It'd be a good location for Samsung to position their crap though. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 16
    Can’t wait to see those washing machines perched on blond maple parson’s tables. 
    doozydozencornchipwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 16
    jdgazjdgaz Posts: 403member
    Try to avoid anything from Sammy. So far life is pretty good without their stuff.
    calidoozydozenpropodwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 16
    Maybe they can have a wall showcasing bios of their top executives - you know, criminals serving time in prison! 
    edited October 2017 calibaconstangcornchipwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 16
    I don’t think I’ll ever buy Samsung consumer electronics products anymore. I just buy from the company they’re copying from. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 16
    williamh said:
    However, the area around King's Cross is sort of down-market and dirty even for London.
    Isn't Google building a swanky new HQ there? The British Library is there already and the area behind Kings Cross and the Grand Union Canal is being redeveloped (hence the Waitrose)
    Yes, the area was a dive. I can remember the prostitutes in the area when I was a Student and living in a bedsit on Caledonian Road.
    These days, it is pretty upmarket.

    As for the store, it is not in a key shopping or entertainement area unlike the Apple stores (Regent St and Covent Garden) and MS (Oxford Circus) but I'm sure that it will soon turn into a place of pilgramage for Samsung devotees.

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 16
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    "Samsung to build world's biggest loser magnet"

    There, I fixed the headline.
    pscooter63caliboltsfan17baconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 16
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    All I have to say is that is one *amazing* rendering! Crazy how good some of these artists are these days!
  • Reply 13 of 16
    Another me too from Samsung. Can’t they create something a little bit different and better?

    #notthatmetoo
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 16
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    williamh said:
    However, the area around King's Cross is sort of down-market and dirty even for London.
    Isn't Google building a swanky new HQ there? The British Library is there already and the area behind Kings Cross and the Grand Union Canal is being redeveloped (hence the Waitrose)
    Yes, the area was a dive. I can remember the prostitutes in the area when I was a Student and living in a bedsit on Caledonian Road.
    These days, it is pretty upmarket.

    As for the store, it is not in a key shopping or entertainement area unlike the Apple stores (Regent St and Covent Garden) and MS (Oxford Circus) but I'm sure that it will soon turn into a place of pilgramage for Samsung devotees.

    I didn't notice the Google building but another poster noted it and I saw where it is on the map. The British Library is about a block away sort of between St. Pancras and Euston station as I recall.  Inside the King's Cross and St. Pancras train stations is pretty nice but the area around it is not so nice.  There is a 5 Guys and a Starbucks but  it's mostly sketchy looking places.  I have to say the food and staff at the Indian restaurant on the other side of Euston road from the station  were very nice.  There are some good offices clearly. I'd love to work in a location with so much access to so much transport but the shopping is not so good, I maintain downmarket.  Look, it's some chip shops, cell phone repair, vape shops, betting shops.  See the Apple Store in Glasgow in a fine old building by the Top Shop, the concert hall, and boutiques and whatnot.  The one in Edinburgh was on the golden mile or however it's called. 


  • Reply 15 of 16
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    I swear if Apple decided to jump off the bridge, Samsung would follow suit. 
    watto_cobra
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