Auckland’s transformational Commercial Bay has welcomed another exciting retail offering; Spark’s three-level flagship store, designed by Warren and Mahoney.
Located between Customs St West and the new lower Queen Street at Commercial Bay, the 782m2 store has been designed to help customers learn how to navigate their way through a range of technologies and digital choices from mobile phones to the best in digital security.
Warren and Mahoney also designed the Commercial Bay Precinct itself, and Gareth Huston who lead the design of the new Spark store says this is exactly the type of retail destination that the precinct set out to attract.
“The design and aspiration of Commercial Bay was focused on redefining the traditional shopping mall, and we have worked closely with Spark to similarly reimagine the telco shopping experience. Spark is committed to connecting New Zealanders with the digital world; and wanted to create an immersive space that educates and provides tangible experiences for their customers.
“Each level of the store is a journey in itself, and is designed to flex and change on a daily basis, supported by Spark’s extensive product and services range.
“We’ve created a unique environment that helps people to expand their digital connectivity, but also a place to drop by for a cup of coffee, connect to the internet and check emails. In partnership, we have designed a dynamic multi-level destination that is curated to embody energy and creativity.
“The retail experience has been redefined as a flexible event-driven environment that can be a music or sports broadcast venue, or a place to dwell and learn how to connect to your digital world.”
Spark’s retail lead Chris Fletcher says each level offers customers a chance to feel, touch and experience all the options available to them.
“When customers visit us in store, they’re looking for more than what they can find online. They want advice and guidance and to experience the products on offer first-hand. We’ve designed this store with those insights in mind and are proud to provide an immersive retail experience that not only showcases a range of technologies, but also teaches customers how to incorporate them into their lives.
“People relate to people and our stores provide this very real element that’s missing from online - it’s a commitment to the human experience which is a gateway to the digital experience.”
The store includes a pop-up events space on the ground floor where customers are currently able to test drive the new F1 2020 game, as well as dedicated areas that showcase everything one might need to stay connected at home, work or while they’re out and about including fitouts by major brands like Samsung and Beats.
If your phone is running low on battery, there are charging stations and you can even personalise your own phone cover with a photo or design of your choice using an instore laser printer.
There’s also an area to keep the kid’s entertained, as well as a coffee and consult bar for a caffeine hit and a lounge and theatre for educational sessions on the top floor. Run daily, these sessions are aimed at teaching customers such things as how to ensure a seamless streaming experience on the Spark Sport app, how to get the most out of their favourite devices and how to protect their devices on their home network from being hacked.
The store also has its own private 5G network, giving customers the chance to experience the benefits of Spark’s 5G ahead of it launching in parts of Auckland later this month.
