Design and furnishings retailer Herman Miller has opened its first experiential retail concept store at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, with a second location to follow at The Shops at Hudson Yards in New York on Nov. 20. These stores are the first brick-and-mortar locations dedicated to selling the Herman Miller high-performance task chairs and products that support the home office and small business worker. The retailer plans to open additional locations across the country in 2021.
With more and more companies going fully remote, the concept stores introduce a new way for the public to test-drive Herman Miller products first-hand as the need for better home office furniture and equipment accelerates.
The Herman Miller Stores offer an educational and experiential process that allows visitors to sit down and try products for themselves. Each location will have a dedicated ergonomic specialist on hand to help shoppers better understand the health and productivity benefits of sitting well. Customers also have the option to visit the store remotely through a virtual chat function on the Herman Miller website, allowing each visitor to experience the store through a personalized one-on-one video call.
“We’re in a time where many find themselves sedentary, working from home, sitting down for more hours than ever before, and the dining room chair just isn’t cutting it anymore,” said Debbie Propst, President of Herman Miller Retail (which comprises Herman Miller, Design Within Reach and HAY) in a statement. “We can do better — especially when it comes to our well-being. The public deserves healthier alternatives and they’re searching for better solutions online. We’ve heard from customers that they want a way to test our products in person before making the investment.”
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Designed in-house by Herman Miller’s creative design team, each 1,500-square-foot store features immersive vignettes that highlight both the products and innovative solutions for the home office. Shoppers also can configure and customize product finishes and details on-site.
