Malls
Sony rolling out stores in high-end malls
Electronics giant Sony Corp. is rolling out stores in top-end U.S. malls.
So far it has units in Beverly Center, Los Angeles; Copley Place, Boston; Houston (Texas) Galleria; and South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Calif. The company�s goal is to open five more in similar centers by the end of the year, says Sony spokeswoman Marcy Cohen.
�It�s all about integrating technology into peoples� lifestyles,� she said.
Sony has operated its own stores for about 25 years in Canada, and currently has 71 units there.
The 5,000-square-foot U.S. stores will educate consumers about Sony products, and are not meant to compete with the many retailers that sell Sony electronics, some of whom could be in the same malls, Cohen said.
Observers have compared the concept to Apple Computer�s high-design Apple Store. Sony says it has not decided how many U.S. stores to open next year.
Sony operates two 20,000-square-foot SonyStyle units, in New York City and San Francisco. (It closed one this year in Chicago.)
Compiled by the staff of Shopping Centers Today. � June 11, 2004 International Council of Shopping Centers.
ICSC SCT Newswire
Posted by Craig at June 14, 2004 03:46 PM