Netflix to Open Permanent Retail Stores in America
Netflix plans to open permanent retail sites where fans can shop, play, and enjoy food and drink.
Called "Netflix House," the stores will "combine fresh, new live experiences as well as food and retail," Netflix said.
The first two Netflix Houses will open in the US in 2025 before more open in other countries, Bloomberg said.
"We've seen how much fans love to immerse themselves in the world of our movies and TV shows, and we've been thinking a lot about how we take that to the next level," Netflix's Josh Simon told Bloomberg.
Over the last few years, Netflix has tested some of its retail ideas at temporary stores — or "pop-up shops" — it has been opening in cities around the world.
In 2021, Stranger Things pop-up shops opened in Los Angeles and New York, letting fans walk through scenes from the popular show as they shopped. Other Stranger Things pop-up shops later opened in places like Tokyo and Milan.
Netflix also opened Stranger Things: The Experience in a number of cities, letting fans immerse themselves in a new story based on the show. A similar Squid Game experience is planned for Los Angeles in December.
In June, Netflix even opened its first pop-up restaurant, Netflix Bites, in Los Angeles, offering a menu designed by chefs from shows like Iron Chef and Chef's Table.
So will shops like these become a new part of Netflix's business?
NPR TV critic Eric Deggans thinks Netflix is "trying to do what Disney does" by opening stores that offer products linked to movies and TV shows.
"But Disney has been doing what Disney does for a very long time," Deggans said.
"And the amount of money Netflix would have to spend to actually compete with them doesn't make any sense to me."
