Samsung 837 that opened in NYC is a 'digital playground' not a store

Samsung has opened a new, one-of-a-kind store in the heart of the meatpacking district in New York City. The store, simply dubbed 837, after its address, in a curious turn of events does not sell any of Samsung's products.

Samsung 837 is the first of its kind non-retail tech store to ever grace the streets of New York. The 55,000sq ft space is a "living lab and digital playground" that houses a 90-seat theatre, a multimedia studio, an art gallery, a cafe, a dedicated playroom and even a portable demo kitchen.

The avant-garde new building houses Samsung's marketing team and a new customer care centre, which will provide Samsung users with "one-on-one service". Samsung says that with the launch of its new store, it hopes to "reimagine the traditional store experience".

President and CEO of Samsung Electronics America Gregory Lee said, "We set out to build a marketing center of excellence. We immediately thought of New York City, where the best marketing happens and where people have a finger on the pulse of culture. As a result, we have and will continue to attract top talent from around the world."

The three-storied building is the "physical manifestation" of Samsung's brand, and is slated to host a wide variety of social events, the most entertaining of which will probably be the upcoming Oscars viewing party on 28 February. The store's theatre also has a little "selfie station" where people can put their pictures up on the massive screen for a few moments – enough time to post it on social media accounts.

Samsung 837's general manager Zack Overton told Fast Company, "We didn't want it to be about pushing products in people's faces." Instead he describes 837 as a "fully immersive cultural centre" which will cater to people's every entertainment and social-related whim, including music, arts, sports, wellness, fashion and technology.