20 retail experiences you shouldn’t miss in New York City
)
Retail Store Tours at NRF 2027
See innovation in action. Retail Store Tours give attendees an exclusive opportunity to experience firsthand how leading brands are transforming customer experiences, empowering employees and optimizing operations. Led by local industry experts, each walking tour offers valuable insights, real-world examples and practical takeaways retailers can apply to their own businesses.
Five Retail Store Tours are available: the Meatpacking District, American Dream Mall, Union Square, Fifth Avenue and SoHo.
What makes a shopper stop, stay and buy? For attendees of NRF 2027: Retail’s Big Show, a visit to the stores of New York City offers a chance to consider that question from the customer’s side of the counter. Beyond the conference sessions, set aside time to notice the details: how an associate introduces a product, how a display invites discovery and how a brand gives customers a reason to return.
These details are central to Retail Store Tours’ Intelligent Engagement Index study, which draws on extensive field research into the factors that most directly influence retail sales and shopper engagement. Retail Store Tours says its research identifies seven drivers: human interaction, technology, store design, brand storytelling, employee training, the ability to adapt, and a clear reason to choose one retailer over another. It also finds that engaging the five senses — through touch, sight, sound, smell and taste — strengthens shoppers’ connection to the in-store experience.
For a closer look at these ideas in practice, Retail Store Tours offers curated visits led by New York retailers, combining focused learning with opportunities to connect with industry peers. Available in 50 cities worldwide, the company provides the official store tours for NRF Retail’s Big Show in New York and Singapore. The format is designed to make the most of participants’ time. As the McDonald’s executive team put it, “we got four months of business development in two days.”
Ready to build your itinerary? Here are 20 retail experiences in the New York City area recommended by Daniel Hodges, CEO of Retail Store Tours, with lessons to bring back to your own business.
1. Bloomingdale’s Flagship
1000 Third Avenue (at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue)
Bloomingdale’s flagship showcases experiential retail innovation, pairing the human touch of well-trained associates with technology, a compelling brand story and a unique value proposition.
2. Hermès Williamsburg
130 Berry Street, Brooklyn
The house’s sixteen métiers are displayed over two floors in an engaging space shaped by industrial aesthetics and refined craftsmanship that pay homage to the neighborhood’s culture. The Hermès store team is kind and focused on creating a unique customer experience.
3. Paragon Sports
867 Broadway
Paragon Sports is a historic, family-owned sporting goods department store located in Union Square that has been operating since 1908. The company uses computerized gait analysis technology in-store to study a runner’s stride, foot strike, and biometric movement.
4. Nespresso
85 5th Avenue
The brand’s largest global boutique spans roughly 14,000 square feet across multiple levels. The store team utilizes the five senses to maximize the experience and help customers have the ultimate coffee experience.
5. Arc’teryx
580 Broadway
A two-floor store with a clean, modern urban design, offering high-performance outdoor apparel and staffed by associates who are outdoor sports enthusiasts. The store shows videos of the sports that Arc’teryx supports.
6. Sézane
254 Elizabeth Street
A Parisian-inspired women’s clothing boutique offering apparel, knitwear, and accessories.
7. Lucid
2 9th Avenue
Lucid Air and Lucid Gravity pair striking design with strong performance, long range, convenience and utility, reimagining the luxury electric vehicle as the future of sustainable mobility.
8. Strand Bookstore
12th Street and Broadway
Founded in 1927 by Ben Bass on New York’s historic "Book Row" (which once housed 48 bookstores), it remains family-owned and managed by his granddaughter. It is named after a historic street in London. The store is well-staffed with book and literary experts and the experience is vintage New York.
9. Kendra Scott
26 Spring Street
A Kendra Scott store is a bright, modern boutique specializing in fashion and fine jewelry, customizable pieces, home decor, and beauty products. It is one of the top companies known for the human touch and interaction in selecting jewelry.
10. Louis Vuitton
116 Greene Street
With a store designed by architect Peter Marino, the boutique features an airy, art-gallery-inspired layout showcasing ready-to-wear clothing, leather goods, shoes, and accessories.
11. Teenage Engineering
216 Lafayette Street
Teenage engineering makes cutting-edge synthesizers and many new electronics products, according to Swedish founder Jesper Kouthoofd.
12. Montblanc
635 Madison Avenue
Montblanc integrates high technology with its traditional craftsmanship — ranging from digital note-taking and smart wearables to specialized engineering — to bridge physical products, digital utility and the human touch.
13. Longchamp: SoHo
132 Spring Street
The family-owned brand’s bags are defined by clean lines, supple leather and signature craftsmanship, and stand the test of time. Product display and the human touch are highlights.
14. Banana Republic
552 & 556 Broadway
An upscale fashion and workwear destination.
15. Meta
697 5th Avenue
The Meta Store and expanded Meta Lab experiential retail locations serve as physical spaces for customers to test and purchase Meta’s hardware lineup — including Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, Oakley Meta sunglasses and Meta Quest virtual reality headsets.
16. Restoration Hardware
9 9th Avenue
A luxury home furnishings, interior design and hospitality brand.
17. Bass Pro Shops
Sayreville, N.J.
Visit any Bass Pro Shops for an immersive, interactive experience tailored to your region’s unique natural landscape and habitats.
18. Pop Mart
680 Fifth Avenue
Pop Mart is a modern, vibrant retail destination specializing in designer art toys, collectible character figures, and lifestyle merchandise.
19. Sisley Spa
652 Hudson Street
Experience Parisian elegance delivered in a luxurious spa hideaway.
20. Reformation
62 Greene Street
A digitally led women’s contemporary apparel brand known for its vintage-inspired, feminine silhouettes, signature dresses, and high-profile celebrity following.