Nathalie Bernce, Tm:rw’s co-founder, explained that it is more than just a place to shop.  Tm:rw is designed to be more than a product showcase space, it’s a launchpad for over 120 brands and counting – from start-up companies to the world’s biggest consumer conglomerates.  With a constantly evolving lineup of activations and strategic brand collaborations, the space is designed to give emerging ideas real-world visibility. As Bernce explained to Inside Retail, Tm:rw is more than just a store; it is a “new model of experiential retail” that “brings together innovation, culture, creativity and retail in one environment – not just to sell products, but to let people engage with them in unexpected ways.” What is Tm:rw?  Tm:rw was founded by Smartech Retail Group, a retail innovation company focused on creating spaces where people can engage directly with emerging technologies and innovation.  “Over the past decade, we’ve worked with some of the most well-known department stores in the world to rethink what shopping looks like, making it more hands-on, more exploratory, and more relevant to how people discover new products today,” Bernce, who is also Smartech’s co-founder and CEO, stated. Smartech has previously collaborated with Selfridges in London, KaDeWe in Berlin, Rinascente in Rome and Printemps in Paris to launch in-store innovation spaces. Bernce explained that these projects helped shape a new kind of experience-driven retail and have laid the groundwork for what the innovation company is doing now with Tm:rw. The company is catering to a growing wave of consumers who are coming back to physical retail spaces, but with differing expectations.  “They want connection, not just convenience,” Bernce added. “We saw an opportunity to meet that demand in a new way.” How Tm:rw is merging tech with the human experience  Stepping into the store, shoppers are greeted by the world’s largest 3D retail hologram by software company HYPERVSN, which is accompanied by an AI-powered digital avatar and immersive window displays. Across three levels, the store offers rotating concept areas that span gaming, health and wellness, food, beauty, entertainment and sport. For example, at The Barber Shop, shoppers will come across interactive mirrors and premium grooming from P&G’s suite of brands, including Gillette, Braun and Art of Shaving. Whereas at the Playhouse, tech-enthusiasts can experience a tech playground of e-sports, virtual reality and video games, including PlayStation 5 consoles from Sony Interactive Entertainment. Then, at a sonic oasis called The Sanctuary, shoppers can check out the best-in-class home audio technologies from Amazon Alexa. “We didn’t want the space to just be transactional. The idea was to create experiences that make people slow down, explore and actually feel something,” said Bernce.  “Some moments are calm and meditative, like The Sanctuary, and others are nostalgic, like The Barber Shop. But the common thread is that they each create a different kind of memory.” What types of brands can be seen at Tm:rw? Currently, Tm:rw is partnering with both larger global conglomerates, such as Sony, LG and Procter & Gamble, and early-stage startups, such as Suvie, Syntilay and Lucyd.  Its product offering ranges across a variety of categories like gaming, wellness, audio, mobility and lifestyle.  “The mix is intentional,” Bernce commented, “we’re just as excited about partnering with a household name as we are with a founder-led company bringing something entirely new to market.” Regarding Tm:rw’s incoming assortment of brands, Bernce said, “We’re always exploring new partnerships with both established and up-and-coming brands across tech, design and culture. There’s no set formula – we’re looking for brands that are doing something different, and that make sense within the broader story of the store.” What does Tm:rw’s future look like? Bernce explained that Smartech will be closely tracking consumer engagement, sales data and brand interest to inform what comes next. “We don’t expect the space to look or feel the same six months from now as it does today and that’s intentional.” In the long-run, Bernce explained that Tm:rw’s goal is to shape the future of retail with a store concept that will be replicated and tailored to different cities and markets around the world. “If we do this well,” she elaborated, “Tm:rw becomes a reference point for what physical retail once was: surprising, collaborative and built around real engagement. “If retail is going to stay relevant, it has to inspire. We’re building spaces that bring people back – not just to shop, but to connect, explore and imagine what’s next,” Bernce concluded.