Netflix to Open Two Entertainment Venues With Shopping, Dining
Netflix announced Tuesday it plans to open two experiential spaces for entertainment, shopping and dining in 2025. Dubbed "Netflix House," the two locations — slated for King of Prussia Mall outside of Philadelphia, and Galleria Dallas in Texas — are marketed as a "year-round home for fans to live the stories they love."
A company press release said the spaces would build on other live experiences the streaming platform has launched for Netflix original television series' like "Bridgerton," "Stranger Things" and "Squid Game."
Both Netflix Houses will occupy former department store locations and span footprints of more than 100,000 square feet. There will be restaurants with food inspired by Netflix shows and places to purchase show merchandise. The company said the outside of the venues would feature "eye-popping sculptures and a mural mash-up of characters" from Netflix titles.
Total Retail's Take: This new venture plays right into the growing trend of experiential retail that younger generations of shoppers are looking for. Multiple surveys and studies have shown that Gen Z wants immersive retail. A 2023 study from MG2 found that while Gen Z is digital first — research last year by GWI found that Gen Z viewers spend three times as much time streaming vs watching cable — they also expect brands to blend worlds and offer experiences in-person.
It's another example of a company traversing industries in order to pick up the largest market share of customers; yet the idea harkens back to entertainment companies like Disney and Universal, which went the theme-park route and monetized content. Netflix is transitioning its digital content into physical product that is sold within brick-and-mortar stores. Consider these first two locations to be pilot stores and, if successful, more Nextflix venues coming to a location near you.
