Most ‘interesting store in the world’ opens in Brooklyn

Showfields has unveiled a new retail concept in New York City.

The lifestyle retailer’s new House of Showfields format is located in the the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. The 11,560-sq.-ft. store is designed as a six-room home, with each of the rooms displaying product in a room-appropriate location. Shoppers can shop with the Showfields' "magic wand" app which unlocks exclusive IRL discounts, brand information and concierge-style check out.

Showfields bills itself as a lifestyle discovery store featuring rotating, themed curations of mission-driven brands, the majority of which are new to brick-and-mortar, along with art and events. It opened its first store in 2019, in downtown Manhattan, followed by locations in Miami and Los Angeles.

The House of Showfields’ store design was inspired by the architecture of the surrounding neighborhood. A deconstructed brownstone facade welcomes customers as they enter the building. This area, “The Stoop,” is curated with pet-centric brands a female-founded, organic plant fertilizer company, Flourish,  is also on display.

The customer journey continues room by room beginning in “The Foyer,” which features an immersive art installation. The “Dining Room” includes table settings from two different brands, along with non-alcoholic beverages.

More than a dozen wellness and self-care brands are highlighted in “The Courtyard,” while shoppers can find apparel and shoes in the “Style Zone.”

The main hub of the space, “The Living Room,” features checkered floors and banquettes, accented by surrealist sculptures hanging from the ceiling and a self-playing piano. Showfields said it plans to host programming and events in the space.

The store also includes an experiential space, or  “sensorial room,” presented by Lush Cosmetics. The space allows those who enter to disconnect from the world while exploring Lush's Sleepy range of products. Incorporating light, sound and scent,  room represents Lush's first-ever North American retail collaboration.

House of Showfields also has a white box space called the “Guest House,” which will hold large-scale pop ups and experiential activations.

Showfields doesn't operate on a wholesale model. Instead,  the brands operate as pop-ups in the store and pay a fee to Showfields depending on the amount of space they take and the number of SKUs they have.