Have you heard? Just in time for the holidays, Google has unveiled four new shop-in-shops at Best Buy Canada locations; Mississauga, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of the first of the four exciting openings in Mississauga, just outside of Downtown Toronto. This location is the first in the GTA to showcase the brand new Best Buy Canada store design concept, making tech shopping easier and more enjoyable than ever. The Yonge-Dundas location is next, so for you downtown folks, stay tuned.
The Google Shop brings Google to life in the “real world”. We all know Google online, so it’s super cool to see how the company envisions and presents itself in a physical space. Open and bright, the Google Shop features a clean display of their new products, like the brand new Google Pixel phone, Google Daydream virtual reality headset, and the Google Chromecast Ultra. There will be dedicated Google Guides in the Google Shop at all times, available for one-on-one appointments. Be on the lookout for upcoming workshops and special events too, that will be happening in your nearest Google Shop.
There is also a giant Google Portal in the space that lets you fly through Google Earth, see what’s trending on the web in real time, and discover all of Google’s apps and games.
The portal was tons of fun to play around with, but my favorite products are definitely the Google Pixel and Chromecast Ultra. The new phone is sleek, powerful and features a killer camera. In the social media age that we live in, a phone’s camera is such an important variable when choosing a new phone. The Pixel’s main camera has an awesome blurring feature that mimics the bokeh blur of a DSLR camera, while its front camera features an ultra wide angle- a game changer for selfie lovers.
After exploring the new Google Shop, I toured the rest of the new Best Buy store concept too. The Smart Home department is one of the fastest growing categories in the store and there are tons of awesome technologies that are easily integrated into your home. Security systems, the famed Nest Smart Thermostat and even lighting solutions are all available with interactive demos to make choosing the right product a walk in the park.
Check out one of the four new store locations in: Mississauga (Heartland Town Centre, 6075 Mavis Rd), Calgary (Deerfoot Meadows, 8180 11 St. SE), Edmonton (South Edmonton Common, 9931 19 Ave NW), and Vancouver (2220 Cambie St.).
