First Look: Cole Haan unveils new, high-tech store concept

Cole Haan has opened a format dedicated to its superlight ZeroGrand shoe brand.

Grandshop, at Westfield Valley Mall in Santa Clara, Calif., in the heart of the Silicon Valley, is designed to be modular and mobile. 

The 940-sq.-ft. store, part of Westfield's expansion of the existing center, reflects ZeroGrand’s focus on young, urban professionals. It’s Cole Haan’s first U.S. Grandshop (16th globally) and the first to utilize near-field communication technology. (An additional Grandshop is on track to open this summer, in Aventura, Fla.)

The technology provides shoppers with an immersive and seamless retail experience that blends online convenience with offline benefits, such as the ability to try on. Shoppers use their phones to "tap to" special terminals to find out whether the store has a certain size in stock or view more product details or reviews on Cole Haan's website. They can also tap to purchase and have the goods shipped directly to their preferred destination. 

"This first Grandshop was designed for the young, extraordinary pioneers of Silicon Valley whose lives reflect their personal and professional passions and who work to disrupt the status quo,” said David Maddocks, chief marketing officer & GM business development at Cole Haan.

The merchandise assortment is dedicated mostly to Cole Haan’s ZeroGrand line, including add-on categories such as Women’s Grand Ambition, along with accessories and bags made of ultra-light technical materials from the brand’s lifestyle categories.