So far Sony has such units in Beverly Center, Los Angeles; Copley Place, Boston; Houston (Texas) Galleria; and South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Calif. The company plans 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 people's lifestyles,” Cohen said.
Sony has been operating units for about 25 years in Canada, where it currently runs 71 stores.
The 5,000-square-foot U.S. stores are meant to help educate consumers about Sony products, says Cohen, not to compete with the many retailers that sell Sony electronics, some of which could be located in the same malls. In that respect, observers compare the concept to Apple Computer’s high-design Apple Store. Sony says it has not decided how many U.S. stores it will open next year.
Sony operates two 20,000-square-foot SonyStyle units, one in New York City and the other in San Francisco. The company closed a third one, in Chicago, this year.