Meta Opens First Ray-Ban Pop-up Store in Hopes of Making Smartglasses Fashionable

Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses are already quite stylish, resembling some of EssilorLuxottica’s popular sunglasses but with added features like integrated cameras, speakers, battery, and AI powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 processor. With the opening of a new pop-up store in Los Angeles today, Meta aims to gauge the potential for wider adoption.

Described as “experiential retail,” the LA pop-up store is inspired by the Meta Lab pop-up at Connect 2024 in October, where attendees could try on Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, take photos and videos, purchase customized glasses on the spot for $300, and keep the captured content.

The primary goal of the LA pop-up is to generate word-of-mouth marketing, with Creative Director Matt Jacobson envisioning users becoming influential advocates for the product.

The flagship pop-up store in LA features a large pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses on the exterior, complete with the glasses’ LED privacy light. The store will be operational until December 31st, with plans for the next pop-up in Phoenix, Arizona in January, described as a “real shop-in-shop.”

The Meta Lab location offers more than just trying and buying smartglasses. It will host various events, including stand-up comedy, live podcasts, workshops, and cooking classes, to engage customers beyond the retail experience.

Meta plans to share insights from these pop-ups with EssilorLuxottica and other partners, with a smartglasses partnership extension until 2030 announced in September. While the LA and Phoenix pop-ups are temporary, they may pave the way for more similar experiences in the future.

“We may not replicate a hundred of these, but we can establish a few across the country and expand based on the response. These pop-ups are more about creating a unique experience rather than mass scalability,” Jacobson explains.

If you’re in the LA area, visit the Meta Lab pop-up at 8600 Melrose Avenue from November 8th to December 31st, open daily from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm PT.

Special holiday hours are 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Black Friday and Christmas Eve, with closure on Thanksgiving, December 3rd, and Christmas Day.