Google’s bicoastal boutique bash marks the debut of a West Hollywood pop-up shop
Google threw a boutique-opening bash in West Hollywood Tuesday night that included a seemingly endless supply of Randy’s Donuts, a performance by Jaden Smith and an assortment of influencers and stylish types including actress Rashida Jones, fashion designers Brian Wolk and Claude Morais and stylist Jen Rade.
The 4,550-square-foot West Hollywood pop-up shop, which officially opens for business today, is set to “pop down” on December 31, which gives holiday shoppers ample opportunity to test-drive the company’s assortment of computers, phones and home-enhancing hardware.
The sleek, minimalist interior of the space – and the tables dotted with cable-tethered phones, laptops and speakers might make you think you’d stepped into an Apple store – but for the exposed metal trusses of the ceiling and the immense pixilated “G” dominating a back wall.
It’s a smart move for the company since the tech-buying public isn’t as familiar with the gadget side of the Google brand – a side that expanded significantly earlier this month with the introduction of a new version of its Pixel phone (starting at $649), breadbox-sixed high fidelity wireless speaker ($399) and a pint-sized puck called the Google Home Mini ($49), a lower-profile version of its cylindrical Google Home artificial-intelligence-powered speaker (which, to be honest, has always reminded us of a tabletop air-freshener). And now, thanks to the West Hollywood store – and a second one that opens simultaneously (its Tuesday night fete featured a performance by Solange Knowles) in New York City’s Flatiron District – barely two weeks after those gizmos were unveiled the gadget-curious can fiddle with them up close and personal. (For the record, our favorite Pixel 2 smartphone shortcut is a “shake-and-erase” feature that allows you to delete a photo by giving the phone a vigorous jiggle.)
Also on offer, according to a Google representative, is a “white glove concierge service” for VIPs that will send a squad to your Hollywood Hills mansion (if you’re a VIP where else would you live?) to set up all that high-end, high-tech gadgetry.
A cross-country “Donuts with Google” marketing campaign -- inspired by the vaguely donut-like size and shape of the new Google Home Mini – resulted in a one-night-only donut pop-up on the roof of the pop-up (now that’s meta) that served up sugary delights from Inglewood-based Randy’s Donuts, one of the several SoCal businesses tapped for the evening’s festivities. (Others included Wolvesmouth, which created the evening’s menu and Geronimo Balloons which created a rooftop balloon installation in the colors of the Google logo.)
Made by Google, 8552 Melrose Avenue (at Westmount Drive) in West Hollywood, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily October 19 through December 31.
For more musings on all things fashion and style, follow me at @ARTschorn.
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