Meta Labs Slated for 50-Plus Best Buys

Customers at select Best Buy (Richfield, Minn.) stores will be able to try out tech giant Meta’s AI glasses and VR headsets at shop-in-shops. Dubbed Meta Lab @ Best Buy, the 900-square-foot spaces feature interactive demos and displays, the companies said in a joint news release.

“Meta Lab @ Best Buy is an experience customers can’t find at any other retailer and sets a new standard for how our customers will explore, play with and discover the latest cutting-edge tech,” said Patrick McGinnis, Best Buy’s Chief Merchandising Officer.

Christa Wittenberg, VP of Global Retail Sales at Menlo Park, Calif.-based Meta, had this to say about the Best Buy venture: “Together we’re reimagining how consumers shop the next generation of personal technology. These are immersive, hands-on spaces built for real discovery — where people can experience firsthand just how stylish, fun and personal AI glasses and VR really are. We want customers to walk in curious and leave genuinely excited about what’s possible.”

The first Meta Lab @ Best Buy experiences launch this month in the cities below, with additional locations rolling out throughout the summer:

• San Carlos, Calif.
• Roseville, Minn.
• Woodland Park, N.J.
• Greenville, S.C.
• Columbus, Ohio

Overall, Best Buy has about 1050 stores in the U.S. and roughly 320 in Canada. Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, What’s App and several other high-tech platforms.