Herman Miller goes offline with a unique retail concept

Cult interior brand opens stores selling furniture for the home office.

American interior giant Herman Miller announced its first retail store opening, which specializes in selling high-quality furniture for home offices and small businesses. 

The first Herman Miller’s store opened in Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The second will welcome customers from The Shops at Hudson Yards in New York, and an opening is scheduled for November 20. In 2021, the brand expects to open several stores across the country. 

The focus of the new retail concept is on service and shopping experience. Before buying a chair or a chair, you can try the products and get advice from ergonomics experts. It will allow consumers to understand the benefits of the purchased products in terms of productivity and health. 

You can also visit the stores “remotely,” using the virtual chat on its website. The brand provides customers with a service that allows them to make individual video calls with expert advice.

“We have accelerated the development of our new concept stores in response to new customer requests,” commented Debbie Propst, President of Herman Miller Retail. He emphasized that in today’s environment, more and more people have to work from home. The choice of a chair is becoming increasingly important. 

The company developed a concept for stores with a trade area of about 1500 sq feet (140 sq. m)t. Herman Miller’s creative team designed the project by themselves. In stores, customers will compare each chair’s physical characteristics, with adjustable backrests, weight and pressure distribution, airtight suspension, and individual settings. 

While many retailers are going online and are abandoning traditional retail stores, Herman Miller has announced a completely different strategy. Today, the group with more than a century of history manages Herman Miller, Design In-Reach, and HAY brands. The company completes its most successful quarter in history against a growing demand for quality home office furniture. The company’s revenue in 2019 was $2.6 billion.