The company is turning a pop-up that it opened in New York City in November into a permanent retail location.
The parent company of Facebook said it has signed a 10-year lease with Vornado Realty Trust to make its temporary Meta Lab outpost in Manhattan a permanent flagship location.
Located at 697 Fifth Ave., the skateboarding-themed Meta Lab is designed as a hands-on experiential space where customers can check out the company’s latest retail offerings, including its line-up of AI glasses and immerse themselves in virtual worlds with Meta Quest headsets.
The space also includes a coffee shop and an archival wall and timeline that tells the story of New York City skate culture from the 1960s to today, through graffiti, rare film footage, artwork, original decks and other visual artefacts.
Each Meta Lab store is shaped by its neighbourhood, co-created with local artists and communities around distinct creative themes, the company said. In addition to New York City, Meta Lab has locations in Las Vegas (at Wynn Plaza Shops); Los Angeles (Melrose Avenue); Honolulu (Ala Moana Center) and Burlingame, California. The company plans to open additional locations throughout 2026.
“Our people-first approach to experiential retail is rooted in culture, creativity and self-expression – and it’s driving meaningful sales and awareness of our AI wearables,” said Matt Jacobson, VP and Creative Director, Wearables, Meta. “Placing our flagship store alongside the brands that help define culture, will distinguish Meta Lab from traditional consumer electronics retail. There’s no better home than NYC to innovate and we’ll continue to celebrate the community while making our products easy to see, try and understand.”
