March 23, 2023 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Verizon Opens Fifth U.S. ‘Destination Store’ In Santa Monica:

On a rare cloudy morning on the Third Street Promenade on Wednesday, a new store opens its doors to the public. Its purpose is to provide new technology to those who seek it – to those who want to leap into the future. No, it is not the Apple store. It’s Verizon Wireless.

When one enters a Verizon Wireless store, they expect the same thing they’d see in something like an AT&T or Sprint store: employees in matching polos of the carrier’s color, and phones lining the walls. This Verizon Wireless store is different, however. This is what’s called a “Destination Store,” which is exactly what the name implies: the place a metaphorical desert wanderer would be seeking after weeks without his phone working.

The store itself has a bit of a Times Square feel, with a massive two story jumbotron stretching like a citadel from the ground floor up to the top with the staircase encircling it. However, the mural made of phone cases that says “Santa Monica”, the employees wearing matching t-shirts rather than polos, and the floor and wall paneling made of what looks like driftwood give it a distinctly Southern California look.

“For our customers, there’s simply no other retail shopping experience like this in any industry,” said Luis Cruz, Verizon’s Southern California president. And boy was he right.

The store is split up into “zones”, which include “Customize It”, “Get Fit”, “Home Immersion”, and many others. Features of these zones include things like a “selfie booth” where one can use gear provided to craft the perfect selfie. And they can use that picture to make a custom phone case, which is delivered via vacuum tube in a capsule from the second floor, Futurama style. Not many a Verizon store can boast that. The second floor has everything from an NFL virtual reality experience to a Nintendo Wii-like station with the ability to play mini games on a giant screen, no controller needed.

It’s not all just fun and games however, the store offers workshops for both business and pleasure needs, which can help Grandma learn how to use that tablet she got to facetime her grandkids, or just learn how to promote synergy at the office.

This destination store is only the fifth in the country to be built. The first one was built in 2013 in the Mall of America in Minnesota, with others following in Chicago, Houston, and Boston. According to General Manager Cherryanne Angoy, this store in Santa Monica has some similarities, such as many of the zones. There are some unique differences between stores however, with Santa Monica being able to boast the mural, the selfie station, and a wall dedicated specifically to tablets, among many others.

This store is more than just your average Verizon Wireless store where you go to upgrade a phone or buy a new charger. It’s full of so many things that haven’t been mentioned above, and can only be fully felt by experiencing the store in the flesh. Make this new citadel the next destination when on the Promenade this summer.

The store is located at 1322 Third Street Promenade (near Arizona Ave). It is now open from 10 am to 9 pm Monday through Saturday, and from 11 am to 9 pm on Sundays.

in News
Related Posts

Gasolina Cafe Owner, Sandra Cordero, to Open New Tapas Bar in Santa Monica

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Tapas bar expected to open late spring in former Heroic Italian space at 516 Santa Monica Boulevard  Sandra Cordero, the...

California’s AB 1217 Could Supersede Costly Outdoor Dining Permits Proposed by Municipalities

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

Legislation would preempt local ordinances and preserve regulatory flexibility for struggling neighborhood restaurants By Sam Catanzaro A new bill proposed...

Emerging Artist Jesse Liu Opens First-Ever Exhibition in Venice Gallery

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

“Spring Fever” currently on display at Yiwei Gallery By Keemia Zhang Local artist Jesse Liu has opened her first solo...

Santa Monica Place Invites LGBTQIA+ Artisans to Apply for Made With PRIDE Marketplace

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Partnering with Streetlet, the marketplace will take place each weekend in June and showcase local goods made in Southern California....

Santa Monica Councilmember Phil Brock Appointed to National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education, and Families

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Brock to collaborate with group of local leaders to develop and guide programs for communities across the country Santa Monica...

Santa Monica Receives $70,000 Donation From Kiwanis Charities for Scoreboards in Two Parks

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Donation will fund the installation of new scoreboards at Historic Belmar Park and Los Amigos Park The Santa Monica City...

Should Santa Monica Close the Airport?

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Santa Monica City Council recently voted to begin the process of closing Santa Monica Municipal Airport. The decision was kick-started...

City Council Puts Plan for Use of Parking Lots for Affordable Housing in Motion

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Sites are located at 1217 Euclid Street, 1211-1217 14th Street and 1146 16th Street By Dolores Quintana ​​During the Santa...

Santa Monica Warns Residents of Crypto Ponzi Scheme

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

City says 30 + households in Santa Monica have reported being victimized by CryptoFX, LLC Over 30 households in Santa...

Man Arrested for Sexual Assaults Targeting Homeless Victims

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

Anthony Pittman faces rape charges in connection to series of sexual assaults A West Hollywood man has been arrested in...

SMa.r.t. Column: Going Bare

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

(part 3 of 3 articles) Every City faces periodic interruptions to its normal life. Some interruptions in our City are...

Santa Monica Mall Owner, Macerich, Finds Way Out of Retail Property Crisis

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

Move comes amidst a crisis for retail property owners, with loans coming due for refinancing with much higher interest rates...

Historic Santa Monica Property “The Witbeck House” Listed for Sale at $22.5M

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

Greene & Greene-designed home features 26,000+ square foot lot with five bedroom home A historic property known as The Witbeck...

New Affordable Housing Complex Completed in Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood

March 18, 2023

March 18, 2023

Las Flores offers 73 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at 1834-1848 14th Street By Sam Catanzaro Community Corp. of Santa...

Are You Staying in Santa Monica Over the Summer?

March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

Spring is officially here, which means summer is just around the corner. Santa Monica residents, what are your travel plans...