b8ta, a company started by several ex-Nest employees, announced today that they are launching a brick-and-mortar retail store, dedicated to selling Internet of Things connected devices.
“Right now, consumer desire for innovative products is booming, and there’s never been a better time to be a maker,” said Vibhu Norby, CEO of b8ta. “However, most new products don’t make it into stores until months or years after they’ve launched because traditional retail is fundamentally broken and the product introduction process is arduous, especially for new companies. At b8ta, we’ve built technology that makes brick-and-mortar retail easier and quicker to set up and sell.”
The flagship b8ta location — presumably designed to be the first of many — will open its doors this Friday, December 11th, in downtown Palo Alto, California. Products will include everything from more predictable smart lighting and cameras to the Teforia Tea Maker and Lily Flying Camera. Many, if not all, of the products are available at no other physical retailer in the world.
A number of fully-trained expert staff members will be on hand to answer questions, offer “curated product tours,” and, presumably, take your credit card payment when you decide which items will best allow you to kit out your smart home of the future.
An Apple Store-esque experience for connected gadgets? Yes please!
