Events

The venue where the Beatles performed their first concert in the United States now houses REI’s newest flagship location.  

A German brand known for its high-quality headphones had dropped anchor in the United States.      Sennheiser has opened a pop-up, in the SoHo section of downtown Manhattan, that is designed to let visitors try out its products firsthand.      The brand is also set to open a permanent retail space, at the Westfield World Trade Center in Manhattan, in late October. It will serve as a showroom and not sell product (product is sold at the pop-up, however).  

The North Face is targeted urban adventurers at its new global flagship on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.   The two-level, 20,000-sq.-ft. store offers an immersive brand experience that includes an interactive climbing wall, community seating and a custom embroidery service called “Lot, Stock and Barrel” that allows shoppers to personalize garments by selecting from 20 designs.   

The great outdoors has come to Fifth Avenue — courtesy of The North Face.   The retailer, a division of VF Corp., is opening a two-level, 20,000-sq.-ft. flagship in the old Manufacturers Trust Company building, a New York City landmark of modernist architecture. (The official opening date is Oct. 26.)  

Sears is launching a new program designed to give its loyal shoppers the best shot at holiday promotions.    Members of the chain’s Shop Your Way loyalty program will get a jump on their holiday shopping during this weekend’s “Sears Days Lowest Prices of the Season Member Bonus Event.” However, there is always a chance these items could be further discounted as the holiday season ramps up.   

In what could be a prelude to a retail strategy, Google is doing up a pop-up in the Big Apple.     The temporary outpost, called "Made by Google,” will open in downtown Manhattan, at 96 Spring Street, on Oct. 20, according to a notice on the search giant's website. It’s the same day that Google’s new smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, go on sale nationwide.    

The North Face is trying on a new store format.   The retailer has opened a pop-up in San Francisco aimed at the city explorer.   The temporary store, in the city’s Jackson Square neighborhood, will focus exclusively on the brand’s premium streetwear merchandise. (A similar space will be featured in the retailer’s new flagship, scheduled to open on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in late October.)  

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is merging its sustainability-focused conference with Sustainable Brands.     Beginning in 2017, the two will produce a single conference together than includes a retail-specific program track, in addition to Sustainable Brands’ usual program, which covers sustainability-led brand innovation across multiple consumer-facing industries.