Companies open temporary stores to test customer reaction

Spaces set up as friendly refuge to visit and shut out the world.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Starbucks and other coffee shops got the right idea early on.
Across the globe, people crave a friendly refuge to visit, hang out and shut out the world.
The trend was identified back in the early '90s but continues to be giant-sized, says the Netherlands-based Trendwatching.com. It calls such places "being spaces" and say they are spreading way beyond coffee shops to hotel lobbies, book shops, laundries and supermarkets. Even mid-level department stores are adding comfy sofas and quiet corners.
"Brand spaces" is another related marketing idea manifested in temporary "pop-up stores." Using a hit-and-run philosophy, retailers open stores for a limited time. A few years ago Target launched a small Isaac Mizrahi store for a few weeks in New York City, where the company was not represented. Considerable merchandise sold out in days.
From November to January this year, American Apparel opened a 45-day pop-up store in New York with daily events such as karaoke contests, pet costume contests or film screenings. And in New York in December, J. Crew sent out Land Cruisers loaded with gifts for sale for men.
The next evolution involves "brand spaces with empathy." One example is Samsung's mobile travel centers at the Dallas airport. They feature work stations, leather lounge seating, dial-up Internet, coffee and snacks.
And meet one more manifestation: It's called "brand spaces and trying out." Think of the Wired Store in NYC where walk-ins can test the latest gadgets or financial groups where consumers sign up for seminars.