TWEETER CE PLAYGROUND
When Jamie Sorcher profiled Tweeter's first "concept" store, in Las Vegas, for the September 2005 issue, she wrote, "It's obvious from the moment you walk in that this store focuses on home-entertainment solutions, not stuff." In 2006, the company opened two more "CE Playgrounds" — one in Oak Brook, IL, and one in Burlington, MA — that put the same emphasis on customer service, beginning with a concierge who greets you when you walk in, helps determine your needs, and figures out the best way to address them. You can then walk through a variety of simulated room environments, where you can try out flat-panel TVs, front-projection systems, speakers, multiroom control systems, and all kinds of other A/V gear. Complimenting the chain on its forward-looking approach to retailing, Jamie ended her article by calling a visit to a Tweeter concept store "a stroll into the future that's worth taking." For rethinking how people not just shop for but experience home-entertainment gear, Tweeter earns our Editors' Choice Award for Retailer of the Year.
tweeter.com
