Wayfair Will Launch 3 Stores in 2022 Under Specialty Brand Names
Wayfair announced Tuesday it will launch three brick-and-mortar stores in 2022, bringing two of its specialty retail brands to life, reports MarketWatch. The company is planning two store openings for its AllModern brand and one for its Joss & Main brand in the retailer's home state of Massachusetts. Customers will be able to purchase goods directly in the stores or place orders for home delivery, according to a company press release. The Joss & Main and AllModern stores are the first in a series of openings over the next two years as Wayfair plans locations for each of its five brands, including Birch Lane and Perigold. Wayfair began launching pop-up shops in 2018, and has had a standalone Wayfair store since 2019.
Total Retail's Take: After testing the waters with pop-up shops and a small-format store, Wayfair is diving into physical retail for each of its brands. Many digital-native brands have realized the benefits of physical storefronts, even as the retail world was pushed almost entirely online over the last two years. Omnichannel capabilities are now expected by consumers who want to engage with brands across channels. With these three new stores, Wayfair is inviting "customers to engage with the brands they know and love in an innovative format that blends the best of in-store and online shopping," says Karen McKibbin, head of physical retail at Wayfair.
According to the company press release, AllModern and Joss & Main stores will offer distinctive retail environments that bring each brand to life and boast "knowledgeable teams leveraging innovative tools and expertise and offer [shoppers] creative solutions for their homes." Retailers continue to promise innovative store concepts to draw consumers to their locations over the competition. It will be interesting to see what Wayfair unveils to engage customers as the company launches in this new channel.
Kristina Stidham is the digital content director at Total Retail and sister brands Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel & Hospitality at NAPCO Media. She is passionate about digital media and handles video, podcast and virtual event production for all brands. You can often find her at WIRLC, TR, WLT&H or industry events with her camera and podcasting equipment—or at home on Zoom—recording interviews with thought leaders and business executives.
Kristina holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Production from the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia. Go Owls! When she's not in the office, she loves to go on long walks, sing around the house, hangout with her family and two pet guinea pigs, and travel to new places.
