Digital-first brands looking to experiment with physical retail can bring their brands to life with immersive, customized spaces on the ground floor of Showfields four-story concept store. Located on the corner of Bond and Lafayette Streets in NoHo, the 14,000-square-foot flagship was founded by entrepreneurs Tal Zvi Nathanel and Amir Zwickel in December with an array of direct-to-consumer wellness, home and beauty brands stylized with Instagram in mind. “We believe in the magic of discovery,” said Katie Hunt, Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer.

“If you think about your Instagram feed, where much of your digital discovery happens, you’re being introduced to new brands from across several different categories on a daily, even hourly basis. A multi-brand retail concept plays a similar role for offline discovery. Retailers have to think beyond merchandise to how they engage curiosity and inspire customers to get to know a brand’s story in a more meaningful way.”

Brands can apply to be showcased within the retailer via an online process vetted by a special curation committee that looks at applications and decides whether the brand will be a significant addition to the Showfields space.

“We look for brands with a strong digital community or following, that are new or launching something that shoppers will be excited to discover, or that are looking to experiment with an offline footprint. Nuria Beauty, for example, is a new skin care brand that launched at Showfields, while oral care brand, quip, has built its digital presence and wanted to learn how it could bring products to life offline,” said Katie.

If a brand is selected, it works with Showfields to develop a camera-worthy pop-up shop, equipped with technology such as mobile POS.

“Much the same way that a brand would pay for an owned pop-up, we charge for the service we provide,” said Katie. “But what separates our model is the level of customization, from the length of the lease to the size of the space and number of design fixtures, we’ve made it easy and accessible for brands of all sizes. Our goal is to create opportunities for discovery and part of that is finding ways to work with small and emerging brands, which is what our model is designed to do.”

In addition to brands, the retailer has begun partnering with influencers to explore how their digital presence can translate to physical space. For its launch, influencer BabbaC. Rivera of @bybabba created her fantasy bathroom, curated with the skin care and beauty products she loves.

“We think retail has a unique role to play in allowing social media stars like Babba to cement their brand status offline. Showfields served as a means for Babba to move beyond the Instagram grid, without having to deal with the logistics of leasing a space or managing inventory. We’re aiming to do more of these partnerships. Right now we’re hosting @northfifthandsunny founder Viktoria Dahlberg (@viktoria.dahlberg) who’s just launched a line of decor and accessory products,” said Katie.

To keep consumers returning to the store, each brand is featured for a limited amount of time so that consumers can discover something new with each visit. And, to keep them refreshed during their visit, by CHLOE has launched THRILLS by CHLOE, featuring new carnival-themed food and beverages exclusive to Showfileds.

In mid-March, a second floor will open dedicated to home brands, followed by design on the third floor; a fourth floor will be home to a community-centered co-working and programming space. The Manhattan store is currently the only location, but Katie hinted that there may be expansion plans in the works.

“Because of our tailored approach, we believe there’s space for a Showfields in every city – and potentially every neighborhood. And, with all of the innovation and new brands launching daily, we know there’s plenty of discovery to take offline,” she said.