Target is opening a high-tech home showcase

Target Corp. is putting a spotlight on how the “Internet of Things“(IoT) will transform consumers’ homes and lives.

The company has opened an experimental space that provides an upfront and personal look at how the IoT can connects everyday items like thermostats and door locks. The move follows the opening of Sears’s “Connected Solutions” flagship in San Bruno, California.

Target’s new showcase, dubbed “Open House” is part retail space, part lab, and part meeting venue for the connected home tech community. It opens on Friday in San Francisco’s Metreon shopping center, below a CityTarget location. For a video on Open House, click here.

The 3,500-sq.-ft. space features a transparent, acrylic “house” complete with acrylic furniture and detailing.  The rooms feature vignettes, including a living room and a nursery, that demonstrate how multiple connected devices can work together to create real-life solutions. 

It sells about 35 devices, including a Nest Thermostat, a Sonos music player, and a Ring smart doorbell, according to the StarTribune. Only about a third of the products are currently sold in Target stores.

“Putting a house in the space, we felt, was the most relatable and welcoming way to introduce these products,” said Todd Waterbury, Target’s chief creative officer. “What we’re trying to do is humanize and personalize the benefits of these products, as well as show them working in concert. It’s really about relevant storytelling and creating a destination for engagement and discovery.”

Target also plans to learn from Open House. The retailer and its supplier partners will get real-time feedback from consumers interacting with the products.

Target also plans to use the space to host regular meetings – from tech talks and meet-ups to product demos and product launches.


“From a strategic perspective, we see Internet of Things as a megatrend on the horizon. We know it’s going to generate huge value,” said Casey Carl, Target’s chief strategy and innovation officer, whose “Enterprise Growth Initiatives” team created Target Open House. “We’re using Open House to test the trend, both for us and for guests.”