AT&T's
Store of the Future is open and showing off the newest technology in a sleek, cool store off Westshore Boulevard in the shopping center anchored by The Container Store..
The shop is the fourth of its kind in Florida and is modeled after a Chicago flagship store large enough to fit a car inside. Tampa's shop isn't nearly as large but customers can enjoy taking the latest technology for a spin in the care of friendly sales clerks who chat with you at white "learning" tables designed to mimic real life situations.
It is designed to encourage interaction and make the shopping experience fun and engaging whether you're an individual or bring your entire family.
Step over to the guitar display and try out headsets, speakers and the latest sound and streaming technology. Head to another table and find out how your phone can become a movie projector.
Or walk over to the white "kitchen island" and learn how a smartphone bolts a dead-lock at your house or sets the temperature controls. Have a pet to keep an eye on? There's a video gadget for that.
Want to monitor a fleet of trucks for your business including their top speeds? There's a device for that too.
The forward-looking store caters to the mobile lifestyle.
"We're trying to show the different applications available for customers," says Susan Boothe, merchandising manager for AT&T's Florida operations. But the story is deliberately "nice and comfortable and takes the intimidation factor out of it."
The store is at 1812 N. Westshore Blvd., in the new shopping center anchored by retail and restaurants such as
The Container Store, Sleeping Mattress, Pei Wei Asian Dining and Olive Garden Restaurant.
The store's eco-friendly design is by architects at
Callison, a global company whose clients include Starbucks, Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods.
Writer:
Kathy Steele
Source: Susan Boothe, AT&T
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.