BrandsMart USA and Sony Electronics Inc. have collaborated to open a showroom just for Sony products inside a Miami store.
The electronics retailer is celebrating the first “store within a store” concept with Sony this weekend at its north Miami location in 167th Street. Unlike the many other brands carried in the store, the specially designed 625-square-foot Sony showroom will feature a variety of Sony electronics that include smart TVs, cameras, laptops and tablets, all in one spot.
“When the shoppers enter the dedicated Sony space, they can explore products from nearly every category,” said Mike Fasulo, executive vice president of sales and operations for Sony. “Sony and BrandsMart USA have enjoyed a long-term relationship.”
BrandsMart USA and Sony executives gathered at the store Friday morning to officially open the showroom to customers.
“This is a relationship that has really stood the test of time,” said Paul Spitale, senior vice president of consumer sales with Sony Electronics Inc. “We’ve had an affiliation with BrandsMart USA for more than four decades.”
This is the first time BrandsMart USA stores have opened a concept like this inside a store, said Angus Bryan, vice president of merchandising for the retailer. It is uncertain if the retailer will open similar showrooms in any of the other seven South Florida stores.
“Nowadays, there’s just so much technology out there, it’s hard for consumers sometimes to wrap their heads around it all,” Bryan said. “This new showroom has the ability to showcase and explain in detail what all of Sony’s technology is all about.”
This isn’t the first time a retailer has opened separate brand showrooms inside a store. Department store chain, J.C. Penneybegan opening Sephora stores, known for its beauty product brands, inside stores in 2006. The Apple Store is testing small-scale store setups inside Walmart and Target stores this year.
To celebrate the opening of the Sony showroom, customers will be able to tour the Sony electrolounge, a stage set up in the North Miami BrandsMart USA parking lot on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. There customers can try out new electronics, including televisions, camcorders, headphones, home theater systems and tablets.
Shoppers also will be able to have their photos taken with alien characters from the new blockbuster film,”Men in Black 3.”Hourly prizes, including Sony electronics, will be given away from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.