Sony will be opening this "Osaka Sony Store" in November in Osaka. Japan, that is.

Apple opened the Apple Store Osaka a little over a month ago, so is this Sony's response? I guess.

Sony will open the "Sony Style Store" in Osaka's Umeda o­n November 9th. It will be located o­n the 4th floor of the "Herbis Ent" business facility. (Herbis is also the location of the Ritz Carlton Osaka, just to give you an idea of the neighborhood this is in.)

Herbis Ent is a new multi-floored commerce establishment, which is owned by Osaka-Kobe Electric Railways. It will open o­n the same day. The site is connected with Osaka Umeda station, and the JR Osaka station is about 2 minutes away.

Although Sony had a showroom in the Sony Tower in Osaka's Shinsaibashi, it will be closing o­n October 31st. This "Sony Style Store" will assume the functionality presented by this showroom, but also offer shopping services connected with e-commerce.

The Sony Style Store will offer operation experiences close to actual operating experiments (that you would do at your home, for example), service experiences, consulting services from the full-time "Stylist" service staff. Additionally, products can be purchased from the "Sony Style" and "e-Sony Shop" e-commerce sites.

Three experience zones are o­n the showroom floor: "Create Your Style," "Create Your Room," and "Sense of Sony." "Create Your Style" will offer the "VAIO Gym" to experience VAIO computers, "Music Bar" to experience music downloading, and the "Image Studio" to experience taking pictures with digital cameras and printing them. Likewise, "Create Your Room" will provide home theater and AV device experiences, while "Sense of Sony" will provide QUALIA, Aibo, and High Definition experiences.




Inspired by:
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2004/1014/sony.htm

Press Release:
http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200410/10-1014/