February 20 will be a busy day for Samsung: In addition to hosting its Unpacked event in San Francisco to launch the Galaxy S10, it will also open three new brick-and-mortar locations in Los Angeles, Long Island, and Houston. These will be the Korean giant's equivalent of Apple Stores, where customers could try out and buy the brand's latest products such as smartphones, TVs, and wearables, as well as receive assistance and on-premise repair services.

The company says it decided to open these stores after receiving positive feedback from customers, who particularly enjoyed the experience of visiting a physical location such as the 837 one in NYC. It's also a way to compete more fiercely with Apple, who's relied on its physical retail network for years to attract buyers. Thanks to these stores, Samsung will be able to showcase its products directly to the public and let them try out its latest tech like 4K VR and 8K gaming. Galaxy owners will also benefit from hassle-free support for their phones, as they'll be able to get them fixed directly from the manufacturer. The experience of replacing a cracked iPhone screen through an Apple Store is way better than trying to get your Galaxy's panel changed, at least for now, so I hope Samsung further expands this retail presence.

In addition to the existing store in New York City, the new ones will be located at the below addresses:

  • The Americana at Brand– 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
  • Roosevelt Field on Long Island– 630 Old Country Rd, Garden City, NY 11530
  • The Galleria in Houston– 5085 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056

You can find more information and visuals in Samsung's press release.

PRESS RELEASE